<strong>Background</strong>: The rate of maternal death from sepsis has increased in several European countries, most notably the UK, where sepsis is now the leading cause of direct maternal death. An increase in maternal mortality also implies an increase in the number of women with severe, life-threatening morbidity. Key information gaps in the understanding of severe maternal sepsis in the UK are: the incidence, main causative organisms, infection sources, and risk factors for severe maternal sepsis. <strong>Methods</strong>: Four population-based observational studies were conducted to address these evidence gaps. <strong>Results</strong>: The incidence of severe maternal morbidity from sepsis is increasing in the UK, a trend also evident in the USA. The most common sources are respiratory tract, genital tract and urinary tract infection. The predominant organisms causing infection are E. coli, group A streptococcus, and strong circumstantial evidence of Streptococcus pneumonia. Sepsis progresses very rapidly particularly with group A streptococcal infection. Approximately 20% of women with severe sepsis progress to septic shock and 2% of women die. Risk factors for severe maternal sepsis in the UK with a large effect size are: febrile illness or antibiotics in the 2 weeks prior to onset of severe sepsis (aOR=12.1, 95% CI 8.1-18.0), caesarean section after the onset of labour (aOR= 8.1, 95% CI 4.7-14.0), multiple pregnancy (aOR= 5.8, 95% CI 1.5-21.5), infection with group A streptococcus (aOR=4.8 for progression to septic shock, 95% CI 2.2-10.8), pre-labour caesarean section (aOR= 3.8, 95% CI 2.2-6.6), low socioeconomic status (aOR=2.6, 95% CI 1.03-6.7), and operative vaginal delivery (aOR=2.5, 95% CI 1.3-4.7). Risk factors are significantly cumulative. <strong>Conclusions</strong>: Infection prior to or after delivery, even if the woman appears to be well, should be a marker for close clinical monitoring. Suspicion of group A streptococcus should be regarded as an obstetric emergency and treated ahead of laboratory confirmation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:627863 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Acosta-Nielsen, Colleen D. |
| Contributors | Knight, Marian; Kurinczuk, Jennifer |
| Publisher | University of Oxford |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:16bbacd6-05a1-4c3a-8923-ef180d6a18ce |
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