Clinical Expert Series
Treating Spontaneous and Induced Septic Abortions
David A. Eschenbach, MD
Obstet Gynecol 2015;125(5)
Continuing Medical Education credit is provided through joint sponsorship with
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
ACCME Accreditation
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (the College) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for
Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA
Category 1 Credits.™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
College Cognate Credit(s)
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2 Category 1
College Cognate Credits. The College has a reciprocity agreement with the AMA that allows AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ to
be equivalent to College Cognate Credits.
Disclosure Statement
Current guidelines state that continuing medical education (CME) providers must ensure that CME activities are free from the
control of any commercial interest. All authors, reviewers, and contributors have disclosed to the College all relevant financial
relationships with any commercial interests. The authors, reviewers, and contributors declare that neither they nor any
business associate nor any member of their immediate families has financial interest or other relationships with any
manufacturer of products or any providers of services discussed in this program. Any conflicts have been resolved through
group and outside review of all content.
Submission
Before submitting this form, please print a completed copy as confirmation of your program participation.
College Fellows: To obtain credits, complete and return this form by e-mail (obgyn@greenjournal.org) or fax (202-4790830). Your score, and a copy of the answer key, will be e-mailed to you after receipt of a completed quiz. Credit will be
recorded for those participants answering 80–100% of questions correctly. College Fellows may check their transcripts
online at http://www.acog.org, and any questions related to transcripts may be directed to educationcme@acog.org. For other
queries, please contact the Obstetrics & Gynecology Editorial Office, 202-314-2317 (phone) or obgyn@greenjournal.org (email).
Non–College Fellows: To obtain credits, submit the printout of the completed quiz to your accrediting institution. The printout
of the completed quiz is documentation for your continuing medical education credits.
Continuing medical education credit for “Treating Spontaneous and Induced Septic Abortions” will be available through May
2018.
1. The primary mode of treatment for an infected abortion is:
Antibiotic administration
Removal of infected tissue
Fluid resuscitation
Vaginal prostaglandin
Progestin receptor inhibitors (RU 486)
CME Quiz for the Clinical Expert Series
Obstet Gynecol 2015;125(5)
Credit available through May 2018
Page 1 of 3
2. In 2013, the worldwide death rate from abortion was roughly equal to that of maternal death
following delivery due to:
Embolism
Hemorrhage
Sepsis
Anesthetic complication
Uterine rupture
3. Worldwide, the most common cause of septic abortion is from:
Premature rupture of the membranes
Unsafe methods to terminate the pregnancy
Maternal septicemia
Vaginal infection
Maternal immunocompromise
4. The most common complication of abortion is:
Sepsis
Trauma-induced hemorrhage
Retained products of conception
Uterine scarring
Infertility
5. Antibiotic effectiveness is reduced for infection from toxin-producing bacteria such as Clostridium
species or Group A streptococcus because of:
Bacterial resistance
Local tissue necrosis
Polymicrobial coinfection
Reduced uterine blood flow in early pregnancy
Antibiotic contraindications in early pregnancy
6. Septic abortions associated with Clostridium sordellii or other Clostridium species cause distant
organ damage from:
Septicemia
Toxins
A leukemoid reaction (white blood counts over 50,000)
Host immunosuppression
Hypotension
CME Quiz for the Clinical Expert Series
Obstet Gynecol 2015;125(5)
Credit available through May 2018
Page 2 of 3
7. Septic abortion in the absence of maternal fever may occur with infections caused by:
Anaerobic peptostreptococcus
Clostridium sordellii
Escherichia coli
Group A streptococcus
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
8. The main purpose of aerobic and anaerobic blood and cervical cultures in cases of suspected septic
abortion is to identify:
Antibiotic resistance
Toxin-producing species
Other sexually transmitted diseases
Evidence of illegal activity
Risk for future recurrence
9. The most important factor in the death from septic abortion is:
Gestational age
Delayed surgical therapy
Maternal age
Infectious agent
Delayed antibiotic therapy
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CME Quiz for the Clinical Expert Series
Obstet Gynecol 2015;125(5)
Credit available through May 2018
Page 3 of 3