a serious, formerly widespread, form of blood poisoning caused by infection contracted during childbirth
Also called: childbed fever
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
puer′peral fe′ver, [Pathol.]
- Pathologya systemic bacterial infection of the endometrium characterized by fever, rapid heartbeat, uterine tenderness, and malodorous discharge, chiefly occurring in women after childbirth, usually as the result of unsterile obstetric procedures.
- 1760–70
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'puerperal fever' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):