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The Recognition and Management of Maternal Sepsis

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Principles of Critical Care in Obstetrics

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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 1 woman 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 management of maternal sepsis.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK

    Karen Orr, Damien Hughes & Claire Jamison

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ulster Hospital, Belfast, BT16 1RH, UK

    Paul Fogarty (Senior Vice President)

  3. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, NW1 4RG, UK

    Paul Fogarty (Senior Vice President)

Authors
  1. Karen Orr
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  2. Damien Hughes
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  3. Claire Jamison
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  4. Paul Fogarty
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen Orr .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arihant Women’s Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Alpesh Gandhi

  2. Global Rainbow Healthcare, Agra, India

    Narendra Malhotra

  3. Art Rainbow-IVF, Agra, India

    Jaideep Malhotra

  4. Obsetrics and Gynecology, SN Medical College, Agra, India

    Nidhi Gupta

  5. Bharti Vidya Peethmedical College, Pune, India

    Neharika Malhotra Bora

Appendices

Appendix 1: Algorithm for Management of Maternal Sepsis

figure a

Appendix 2: Sample MEOWS Chart [59]

figure b

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Orr, K., Hughes, D., Jamison, C., Fogarty, P. (2016). The Recognition and Management of Maternal Sepsis. In: Gandhi, A., Malhotra, N., Malhotra, J., Gupta, N., Bora, N. (eds) Principles of Critical Care in Obstetrics. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2692-5_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2692-5_21

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