During the study period, there were 2 078 652 deliveries in California. Among those, we identified 687 (0.03%) cases of antepartum sepsis. These cases were compared to the remaining 2 077 965 control pregnancies. The rate of developing maternal sepsis significantly differed by maternal race/ethnicity (Table 1, p < 0.001). The highest rate of maternal sepsis was seen in Asian and Black patients with 0.04%, followed by Hispanic patients with 0.03%. Maternal sepsis also showed a significant association with parity, public insurance, and twin gestation.
Table 1
| Sepsis | Non-Sepsis | P value |
General | 687 (0.03%) | 2 077 965 | |
Advanced Maternal Age | 132 (0.04%) | 357 915 | 0.167 |
Maternal Race | | | < 0.001 |
White | 140 (0.02%) | 564 270 | |
Black | 47 (0.04%) | 105 980 | |
Hispanic | 388 (0.03%) | 1 126 919 | |
Asian | 101 (0.04%) | 238 448 | |
Other | 11 (0.03%) | 39 806 | |
Missing data | 0 | 2 542 | |
Parity | | | < 0.001 |
Nulliparous | 313 (0.04%) | 804 103 | |
Multiparous | 357 (0.03%) | 1 267 331 | |
Missing data | 17 | 6 531 | |
Some College Education | 280 (0.03%) | 899 995 | 0.219 |
Insurance Type | | | 0.013 |
Public | 364 (0.04%) | 1 001 622 | |
Private | 323 (0.03%) | 1 076 343 | |
Fever than 5 Prenatal Care Visits | 60 (0.07%) | 85 429 | < 0.001 |
Twins | 37 (0.06%) | 58 687 | < 0.001 |
When controlling for potential confounders, the incidence of maternal sepsis remained associated with many of the above factors, including Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.3, CI 1.0-1.6) Asian race (aOR 1.7, CI 1.3–2.2), nulliparity (aOR 1.5, CI 1.3–1.8), and having public insurance (aOR 1.3, CI 1.0-1.5) (Fig. 1, Supplemental Table 2).
The relationship between specific maternal infections and the development of maternal sepsis was investigated (Fig. 2, Supplemental Table 3). Chorioamnionitis, pyelonephritis, pneumonia, listeriosis, and fungal infections were all significantly (p < 0.001) associated with maternal sepsis. Chorioamnionitis and pyelonephritis were the most common infections leading to sepsis, constituting 21.7% and 13.1% of sepsis cases, respectively. Listeriosis was rare, causing 0.44% of sepsis cases; however, it led to the highest odds of developing sepsis (aOR 83.4, CI 16.9-410.8).
When examining outcomes of the pregnancy, septic patients had significantly higher rates of preterm delivery, as compared to non-septic patients, 27.1% vs. 10.1% respectively (p < 0.001, Table 2). The rates of deliveries prior to 32 weeks (12.8% vs. 1.4%, p < 0.001) and before 28 weeks (6.0% vs. 0.4%, p < 0.001) were also increased with maternal sepsis. Patients with maternal sepsis had higher rates of cesarean section compared to non-septic patients, 39.2% and 30.4% respectively (p < 0.001).
Table 2
Distribution of Neonatal Complications
| Incidence among patients with sepsis (n = 687) | Incidence among patients without sepsis (n = 2 078 533) | P value |
Shock | 1.75% | 0.01% | < 0.001 |
Preterm Delivery | | | |
<37 weeks | 27.07% | 10.11% | < 0.001 |
<32 weeks | 12.81% | 1.38% | < 0.001 |
<28 weeks | 5.97% | 0.39% | < 0.001 |
Neonatal Demise | 3.64% | 0.25% | < 0.001 |
Stillbirth | 3.49% | 0.34% | < 0.001 |
Transient Tachypnea of Newborn | 4.66% | 2.19% | < 0.001 |
Respiratory Distress Syndrome | 7.71% | 1.03% | < 0.001 |
Jaundice | 26.20% | 15.72% | < 0.001 |
Small for Gestational Age | 8.15% | 5.78% | 0.003 |
Hypoglycemia | 2.33% | 0.82% | < 0.001 |
Meningitis | 0.58% | 0.01% | < 0.001 |
Neonatal Sepsis | 10.04% | 1.57% | < 0.001 |
Retinopathy of Prematurity | 1.31% | 0.08% | < 0.001 |
Neonatal Seizure | 0.73% | 0.06% | < 0.001 |
Maternal sepsis was also related to higher rates of neonatal complications. Sepsis was associated with an increased risk of both fetal (3.5% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001) and neonatal demise (3.9% vs. 0.3%, p < 0.001). Neonatal seizures were more commonly seen in neonates born to patients with maternal sepsis (0.7% vs. 0.06%, p < 0.001). The rates of neonatal infection such as neonatal shock (1.8% vs. 0.01%, p < 0.001), sepsis (10.0% vs. 1.6%, p < 0.001), and meningitis (0.6% vs. 0.01%, p < 0.001), were higher in neonates born to patients with maternal sepsis. Other adverse neonatal outcomes such as respiratory distress syndrome (7.7% vs. 1.0%, p < 0.001), transient tachypnea of newborn (4.7% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001), small for gestational age (9.5% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.003), hypoglycemia (2.3% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.001), jaundice (26.2% vs. 15.7%, p < 0.001), and retinopathy of prematurity (1.3% vs. 0.1%, p < 0.001) were all more commonly seen with maternal sepsis.
Even after controlling for potential confounders including gestational age, the associations between maternal sepsis and adverse neonatal outcomes persisted (Fig. 3, Supplemental Table 4). Maternal sepsis increased the risk of neonatal demise (aOR 4.2, CI 2.2-8.), neonatal seizure (aOR 8.9, CI 3.3–23.9), and neonatal infections such as shock (aOR 142.0, CI 73.6-274.2), sepsis (aOR 4.8, CI 3.6–6.4) and meningitis (aOR 31.2, CI 9.8–99.0). Odds were also higher for developing neonatal complications including transient tachypnea of newborn (aOR 1.5, CI 1.0- 2.3), small for gestational age (aOR 1.1, CI 1.1–1.9), neonatal hypoglycemia (aOR 1.9, CI 1.1–3.3), jaundice (aOR 1.5, CI 1.3–1.9), and retinopathy of prematurity (aOR 5.9, CI 2.7–13.1) with maternal sepsis.