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Puerperal sepsis — DRCOG MCQ

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EasyPostnatalPuerperal sepsisDRCOG

A 67-year-old woman five days after birth has fever, rigors, uterine tenderness and offensive lochia. What is the most appropriate management?

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Correct answer: CStart sepsis assessment and urgent admission

Start sepsis assessment and urgent admission is the best answer because the vignette is testing Puerperal sepsis and the recommended approach is consistent with NICE NG51; NICE NG194. The other options are less suitable because they either delay time-critical assessment, treat a different presentation, or omit the key safety step. Specifically, Advise oral analgesia and routine follow-up; Prescribe oral metronidazole after self-swab; Start topical oestrogen treatment; Refer for routine gynaecology review would be suboptimal in this scenario. In DRCOG-style primary care questions, the safest answer is usually the step that matches the acuity and gestation rather than symptomatic treatment alone.

Reference: NICE NG51; NICE NG194