Statement on maternal sepsis
Sepsis: a leading cause of maternal deaths
Strategic approaches to reduce maternal mortality
in the past 15 years have mainly focused on clinical
interventions and health system strengthening.
The greatest attention has been on postpartum
haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders, the two
leading direct causes of maternal mortality. Further
reducing maternal deaths is a priority for achieving
the Sustainable Development Goals, implementing
the UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and
Adolescents’ Health and critical for the Strategies
toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality
(EPMM). However, the third most common direct cause of
maternal mortality, maternal sepsis, received less
attention, research and programming. Undetected
or poorly managed maternal infections can lead to
sepsis, death or disability for the mother and increased
likelihood of early neonatal infection and other
adverse outcomes.