Although pregnancy is the same for people worldwide, their safety varies greatly depending on where they live and the type of medical care they receive, if any.

According to the World Health Organization, maternal sepsis refers to sepsis that results “from infection during pregnancy, childbirth, post-abortion, or the postpartum period.” Sepsis, which was often called blood poisoning, is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Sepsis kills and disables millions, more than breast cancer, lung cancer, and stroke combined.

Sepsis and septic shock can result from an infection anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia, influenza, or urinary tract infections. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly), and/or amputations.

Maternal and postpartum sepsis are more common in the developing countries, but they also do strike people in wealthier countries, including in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sepsis is the second leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths. Between 2014 and 2017 infection or sepsis caused 12.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. Pregnancy-associated sepsis requires early detection, accurate diagnosis, and aggressive treatment. In the United Kingdom, a 2019 study found that sepsis accounted for as many as 25% of all maternal deaths in that country.

Anyone who is pregnant, has miscarried or aborted, or who has delivered a child is at risk of developing maternal or postpartum sepsis. However, some do have a higher risk others. Risk factors associated with developing maternal sepsis include not having given birth before (medically called nulliparity), and having public or no health insurance. Other childbirth-related risk factors include having a C-section, using assisted reproductive technologies in order to become pregnant, and having multiple births (twins, triplets, or more).

Those who may be more prone to getting an infection, which can lead to sepsis, are people:

• With diabetes
• Who undergo invasive procedures to help them get pregnant
• Who undergo invasive tests during pregnancy

Being Black (due to racial disparities in US healthcare) also increases the risk of sepsis during pregnancy.

The CDC recommends that people be up-to-date on their vaccines before becoming pregnant, if possible. Speak with your doctor about your immunity to the so-called childhood diseases and if you need booster shots. People are also encouraged to get the seasonal flu vaccine even when pregnant. If you travel, you may need vaccines specific to your destination. Learn more about vaccines at Prevention: Vaccines.

Diagnosing sepsis during pregnancy or after recently given birth can be challenging. Pregnancy and delivery cause many changes in the body, including a faster heart beat, changes in blood pressure, and faster breathing. Usually, these are signs that may alert a healthcare provider that there may be something wrong, such as an infection. Also, many people get chills and sweat heavily after giving birth. They may also have pain, or feel dizzy or light headed.

It also may be more difficult to diagnose infections during pregnancy and the postpartum period. For example, urinary tract infections usually cause a frequent need to urinate, but this can happen because of pregnancy alone. So if someone is going to the bathroom a lot, they may just chalk it up to being pregnant and not realize there may be an infection.

If you suspect sepsis, call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital and tell your medical professional, “I AM CONCERNED ABOUT SEPSIS.” 

The information here is also available as a Sepsis Information Guide, which is a downloadable format for easier printing.

Would you like to share your story about sepsis or read about others who have had sepsis? Please visit Faces of Sepsis, where you will find hundreds of stories from survivors and tributes to those who died from sepsis.

Suggested Citation: Sepsis Alliance. Sepsis and Pregnancy & Childbirth. 2023. https://www.sepsis.org/sepsisand/pregnancy-childbirth/

Updated March 3, 2023.

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