Objective: To verify the significance of Cefazolin administration to women who were indicated for caesarean section. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Faculty of Medicine, Prague, Czech republic. Methods: Cefazolin was administered to 30 women with a patient history risk in a dose of 1 mg i.v. after ligation of the umbilical cord. The control group consisted of 30 women. Observed parame- ters: weight gain during pregnancy, indications for caesarean section, culture from the cervix and vagina prior to the caesarean section, culture from the amniotic fluid, culture from the 4 th day lochia, temperature curve, leucocyte count before and 4 days after the operation, complications after the surgery, administration of antibiotics, and length of hospitalisation. Results: In the group with antibiotic prophylaxis, we observed a more favourable course of the temperature curve and a smaller leucocyte count the fourth day after the surgery (p < 0.01), in comparison with the women without prophylaxis. The duration of hospitalisation in women with antibiotic prophylaxis was one day shorter and there was no occurence of febrile complications requiring further antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: Cafazolin is advantageous antibiotic for prophylaxis in caesarean section in patients with risk.

        Key words: prophylaxis, caesarean section, Cefazolin