Implementation of Early Onset Sepsis Calculator Safely Decreases Antibiotic Use and Laboratory Testing in Newborns Born to Mothers with Chorioamnionitis

Abstract

Background: The management of newborns at risk for early-onset sepsis remains controversial, especially when they are well-appearing. Use of the Kaiser Permanente Neonatal Early-Onset Sepsis Risk Calculator has safely reduced the use of systemic antibiotics in neonates ≥ 34 weeks gestational age by weighing maternal and neonatal clinical data and assessing a newborn’s calculated risk of sepsis. Reducing the need for asymptomatic newborns exposed to systemic antibiotics has many advantages, such as avoiding separation from family, promoting early skin-to-skin and breastfeeding, reducing cost, and reducing antibiotic resistance. Our objective goal was to reduce antibiotic use in well-appearing newborns ≥ 35 weeks gestational age born to mothers with chorioamnionitis by 50% in a 12-month period. Our secondary goal was to …