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Updated: Jan 4, 2026
A Data-Driven Approach to Quantifying Immune States in Sepsis
Published on: February 7, 2025
Sepsis: Precision-Based Medicine for Pregnancy and the Puerperium
Orene Greer1,2, Nishel Mohan Shah3,4, Shiranee Sriskandan5
1Imperial College London, Academic Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Level 3, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK. o.greer@imperial.ac.uk.
Insights
Sepsis poses a significant threat to pregnant women and newborns. New strategies are needed to improve the recognition and management of sepsis in pregnancy, as current treatments are not tailored for this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Disease
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Sepsis is a leading cause of death globally, with pregnant women facing heightened risks.
- Maternal sepsis contributes to substantial global morbidity and mortality, impacting both mothers and neonates.
- Existing sepsis management protocols are not optimized for the unique physiological state of pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on the physiological and immunological adaptations during pregnancy concerning sepsis.
- To highlight the need for pregnancy-specific diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for sepsis.
- To propose research areas for advancing sepsis care in pregnant individuals and their neonates.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current knowledge on pregnancy physiology and immunology.
- Analysis of sepsis impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes.
- Identification of gaps in current sepsis management for pregnant populations.
Main Results:
- Pregnant women are uniquely susceptible to rapid sepsis progression and severe outcomes.
- Maternal sepsis is linked to significant rates of maternal and neonatal mortality.
- Current sepsis management lacks pregnancy-specific considerations.
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy-specific approaches are crucial for effective sepsis recognition and management.
- Further research is needed to develop tailored diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
- Optimizing sepsis care for pregnant women and neonates requires dedicated strategies.
Abstract:
Sepsis contributes significantly to global morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable populations. Pregnant and recently pregnant women are particularly prone to rapid progression to sepsis and septic shock, with 11% of maternal deaths worldwide being attributed to sepsis. The impact on the neonate is considerable, with 1 million neonatal deaths annually attributed to maternal infection or sepsis. Pregnancy specific physiological and immunological adaptations are likely to contribute to a greater impact of infection, but current approaches to the management of sepsis are based on those developed for the non-pregnant population. Pregnancy-specific strategies are required to optimise recognition and management of these patients. We review current knowledge of the physiology and immunology of pregnancy and propose areas of research, which may advance the development of pregnancy-specific diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to optimise the care of pregnant women and their babies.
