Birth / 11 May, 2026 / Ellie Thompson

Sepsis Is Still One of the Biggest Killers Of New Mums. Why Aren’t We Talking About It?

Bringing home a new baby comes with endless advice. How often should they feed? Safe sleep. Nappy output. Umbilical cord care. How to spot jaundice. What’s normal, what’s not. But one of the most serious postnatal risks facing new mothers is still often missing from the conversation entirely: sepsis.

Despite being one of the leading direct causes of maternal death in the UK, awareness around maternal sepsis remains worryingly low, leaving some women dangerously unaware of the signs that could save their lives.

What Is Maternal Sepsis?

Sepsis is the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection. It occurs when the immune system overreacts, damaging the body’s own tissues and organs.

During pregnancy and in the weeks after birth, women are at increased risk of infection, whether from a C-section wound, mastitis, urinary tract infections, retained tissue, pneumonia or other complications.

While many infections are straightforward to treat, some can escalate quickly into sepsis — a medical emergency requiring urgent treatment.

The Statistics Are Stark

The latest MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality report found that maternal mortality between 2021 and 2023 stood at 12.67 per 100,000 pregnancies.

Sepsis remains one of the top direct causes of maternal death.

What’s perhaps most alarming is that experts believe some of these deaths may have been avoidable with earlier recognition and faster treatment.

According to Sepsis Research FEAT, sepsis carries a mortality rate of around 10 per cent in the UK.

Why Aren’t New Mums Being Warned?

This is perhaps the most concerning question.

Many women report never being told about sepsis during pregnancy, after birth, or even following major surgery such as a Caesarean section, despite the increased infection risk.

That means symptoms can be missed, dismissed, or attributed to the general exhaustion and physical recovery that comes with new motherhood.

And when you’re sleep-deprived, recovering physically, feeding a newborn and running on adrenaline, it can be incredibly easy to convince yourself you’re “probably fine”.

One Mum’s Story

Sammi knows exactly how dangerous that can be. At nine weeks pregnant, she developed pneumonia and sepsis after reportedly being denied antibiotics twice by her GP.

Eventually, she rushed to A&E, and she faced another distressing moment when a nurse questioned whether having a life-saving X-ray while pregnant was wise.

It took a doctor to step in with a stark but vital reminder:

“Without mum, there would be no baby.”

It’s a phrase many women need to hear more often.

Because maternal health should never become secondary.

Symptoms of Sepsis to Watch For

Sepsis symptoms can vary, but red flags include:

• Extreme shivering or muscle pain
• Fever or feeling unusually cold
• Fast breathing or breathlessness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Confusion or disorientation
• Severe pain or feeling significantly worse than expected
• Not passing urine
• Mottled, pale or bluish skin

If something feels seriously wrong, seek urgent medical help.

Trust Your Instinct

Dr Andrew Conway Morris, Medical Director of Sepsis Research FEAT, says pregnant and recently pregnant women should never be afraid to ask one simple but potentially life-saving question:

“Could this be sepsis?”

That question matters.

Because maternal sepsis can escalate frighteningly fast.

Why Awareness Matters

Too often, mothers are conditioned to minimise their own discomfort.

To push through.
To “wait and see.”
To prioritise the baby first.

But recognising sepsis early saves lives.

This Maternal Sepsis Week is a reminder that knowing the signs isn’t alarmist — it’s essential.

Because when it comes to sepsis, timing matters.

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