Sepsis in Pregnancy and Babies

Hearing the word sepsis can feel frightening, especially when you are pregnant or caring for a new baby. Sepsis is the body's extreme response to an infection. It can develop during pregnancy, after birth, or in early infancy, and it needs quick medical attention. The aim of learning about it is not to scare you, but to help you recognise when to seek urgent help.

Warning Signs In Pregnancy And After Birth

In pregnant or recently birthed parents, possible warning signs can include feeling very unwell, confusion, fast breathing or heart rate, a high or very low temperature, or severe pain that feels different from usual post-birth discomfort.

Warning Signs In Babies

In babies, signs can be harder to spot. You might notice your baby is unusually sleepy or difficult to wake, feeding poorly, breathing fast, feeling very hot or cold, or having mottled or pale skin.

What To Do

If you are ever worried that you, your partner, or your baby might have sepsis, seek urgent medical help. In the UK, that usually means calling your maternity triage number, NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency. Trust your instincts.

NCT has a guide to sepsis in pregnancy and for babies if you would like to read more.

Sepsis is treated in hospital, often with antibiotics and close monitoring. Early recognition and treatment can make a big difference, which is why speaking up quickly is so important. Remember that you do not need to decide whether it is really sepsis. Your job is simply to notice when something feels wrong and ask for help.

You are not being over-cautious by calling for advice. Healthcare teams would always rather check you or your baby and reassure you than have you worry at home.