puerperal fever: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowTechnical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “puerperal fever” mean?
A serious bacterial infection occurring in women following childbirth or miscarriage, historically often fatal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A serious bacterial infection occurring in women following childbirth or miscarriage, historically often fatal.
Also called childbed fever; medically termed puerperal sepsis, it involves infection of the female reproductive tract after delivery, typically caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or other bacteria.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both variants use the same term identically.
Connotations
Medical/historical, with strong associations to 19th-century maternal mortality before germ theory.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, appearing mainly in medical/historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “puerperal fever” in a Sentence
The patient developed puerperal feverPuerperal fever was diagnosedDeath from puerperal feverVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “puerperal fever” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The midwife was careful not to carry infection that could puerperalise the mother. (rare/archaic)
American English
- The physician worked to prevent puerperalizing his patients. (rare/archaic)
adverb
British English
- The infection spread puerperally through the maternity ward. (technical)
American English
- She became ill puerperally within three days of birth. (technical)
adjective
British English
- She was at puerperal risk after the difficult delivery.
American English
- The hospital implemented puerperal infection protocols.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical history, obstetrics, and epidemiology papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term in medical textbooks and historical discussions of obstetrics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “puerperal fever”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “puerperal fever”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “puerperal fever”
- Misspelling as 'peurperal' or 'puerperial'.
- Using it interchangeably with any postpartum fever.
- Pronouncing 'puerperal' with stress on first syllable (correct: second syllable).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is rare in developed countries due to sterile techniques and antibiotics, but remains a concern in areas with limited medical care.
Ignaz Semmelweis (1847) demonstrated it was contagious and could be prevented by hand disinfection, though the specific bacterial cause was identified later.
Yes, with prompt administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics and supportive care.
Puerperal fever is a historical/clinical term for postpartum infection; puerperal sepsis is the modern medical term for a severe, systemic infection following childbirth.
A serious bacterial infection occurring in women following childbirth or miscarriage, historically often fatal.
Puerperal fever is usually technical/medical in register.
Puerperal fever: in British English it is pronounced /pjuːˈɜːpərəl ˈfiːvə/, and in American English it is pronounced /pjuˈɝpərəl ˈfivɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No specific idioms; term is purely technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
PUERperal = Post-Uterine Event Related fever (mnemonic for medical students).
Conceptual Metaphor
FEVER AS INVADER (historically seen as a mysterious 'poison' invading the body after childbirth).
Practice
Quiz
What is puerperal fever most closely associated with?