a serious, formerly widespread, form of blood poisoning caused by infection contracted during childbirth
Also called: childbed fever
puerperal fever in American English
sepsis sometimes occurring during childbirth: formerly caused a high mortality rate in maternity wards before aseptic techniques were established in the 19th cent.
Examples of 'puerperal fever' in a sentence
puerperal fever
She herself probably used Liza's herbs to help women with puerperal fever, to clean infected wounds, to help bring down the milk.