**3.4 Skin and vaginal preparation**

The CDC also advises that the entire body be cleansed with either soap or antiseptic the night prior to the procedure. Intraoperatively, alcohol-based chlorhexidine is more effective for skin preparation when compared to iodine solutions [30, 31]. With regards to vaginal preparation, either povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate (4%) with a low concentration of isopropyl alcohol is acceptable, as both significantly reduce rates of postoperative infectious morbidity [32].
