Hello and welcome to the zero to finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about maternal sepsis.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero to finals.com slash maternal sepsis

or in the labour and delivery section of the zero to finals, obstetrics and gynecology book.

So let's get straight into it.

Sepsis is a condition where the body launches a large immune reaction to an infection

causing systemic inflammation and affecting organ function.

It's a significant cause of maternal death.

Severe sepsis is when sepsis results in organ dysfunction, such as hypoxia or low oxygen,

oliguria or a low urine output, or a raised lactate. Septic shock is defined when the

arterial blood pressure drops resulting in organ hypopofusion, so there's a low blood pressure

meaning that organs are not well perfused with blood.

Sepsis in pregnancy is a medical emergency that requires prompt recognition and management

to reduce the risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.

Two key causes of sepsis in pregnancy are coriomnionitis and urinary tract infections.

Let's start by talking in more detail about corioamnionitis.

Corioamnionitis is an infection of the corioamniotic membranes and the amniotic fluid.

This means infection in the membranes and the fluid that surround the fetus.

Corioamnionitis is a leading cause of maternal sepsis and a notable cause of maternal death.

It usually occurs in later pregnancy and during labour.

Corioamnionitis can be caused by a large variety of bacteria, including gram-positive bacteria,

gram-negative bacteria, and anaerobes.

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