The recognition and management of maternal sepsis

Abstract

Sepsis can present at any stage of pregnancy and, given its frequently insidious course, should never be underestimated. Pregnant or recently pregnant women can rapidly descend into fulminant sepsis with resultant multi-organ failure unless early identification and prompt treatment are instituted. Frequently the combination of a young population alongside the physiological changes of pregnancy masks the development and progression of simple infections into life-threatening situations.Worldwide, 10.7 % of maternal deaths result from sepsis, with most occurring in developing nations. For every 1woman who dies from sepsis, approximately 14 suffer from severe sepsis or septic shock, with an estimated mortality rate of 10 % in the developed and up to 33 % in the developing world. With early recognition and aggressive, appropriate monitoring and treatment, the burden of morbidity and mortality of maternal sepsis will invariably be reduced.This chapter will focus on the key messages concerned with the diagnosis and managementof maternal sepsis.