Neonatal Sepsis Calculator

How to Use the Neonatal Sepsis Risk Calculator

The Neonatal Sepsis Risk Calculator is a vital tool designed to help assess the risk of early-onset sepsis in newborns based on various maternal and infant factors. Below is a detailed guide on how to use this calculator effectively:

Step 1: Enter Maternal Temperature

Begin by entering the highest maternal temperature recorded in degrees Celsius.

• Input Field: Highest Maternal Temperature (°C)
• Guidelines: The temperature must be a number between 35 and 42, inclusive, with increments of 0.1.
• Example: If the maternal temperature was measured at 38.5°C, enter 38.5.

Step 2: Specify GBS Status

Select the Group B Streptococcus (GBS) status from the provided options:

• Input Field: GBS Status
• Options: Positive, Negative, or Unknown
• Guidelines: This field is required to be completed.

Step 3: Indicate Antibiotic Use During Labor

Select the type of antibiotic administration during labor from the available options:

• Input Field: Antibiotics During Labor
• Options: Adequate, Inadequate, or None
• Guidelines: This field must have a chosen value to proceed.

Step 4: Enter Duration of Rupture of Membranes (ROM)

Input the duration, in hours, of the rupture of membranes (ROM) before delivery:

• Input Field: Duration of ROM (hours)
• Guidelines: The input must be a number between 0 and 168, with increments of 0.5.
• Example: If the ROM duration was 20 hours, enter 20.

Step 5: Enter Gestational Age

Provide the gestational age of the newborn in weeks:

• Input Field: Gestational Age (weeks)
• Guidelines: This value should be a number between 34 and 43 weeks, with increments of 0.1.
• Example: If the infant was born at 36.5 weeks, enter 36.5.

Step 6: Describe the Clinical Appearance of the Infant

Select the clinical appearance of the infant at birth:

• Input Field: Clinical Appearance of Infant
• Options: Well Appearing, Equivocal, or Clinical Illness
• Guidelines: Choose the description that best matches the infant’s condition.

Step 7: Calculating and Understanding Results

Once all the required inputs have been entered, the calculator will automatically compute the following:

• Early Onset Sepsis Risk: This value indicates the risk of early-onset sepsis per 1000 live births, formatted to two decimal places.
• Recommended Action: Suggests a course of action based on the risk assessment (e.g., Routine Care, Vitals Monitoring, Blood Culture and Antibiotics, or Immediate NICU Evaluation).
• Risk Category: Classifies the infant as Low Risk, Medium Risk, or High Risk based on calculated sepsis risk.

Use these outputs to guide clinical decision-making, efficient resource allocation, and individual patient care strategies. Always accompany calculator results with clinical judgment and any additional clinical insights that may apply to the specific circumstances.