Placental pathology after resolved antepartum sepsis: Evidence of persistent vascular and inflammatory injury.

Cohort studyPlacenta· Aug 2026

Placental pathology after resolved antepartum sepsis: Evidence of persistent vascular and inflammatory injury.

Christine A Blauvelt, Stephanie M Tsoi, Kiana C Nguyen … Stephanie L Gaw

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Breast & Gynecologic PathologyCohort studyQ1IF 3.1

Placentas after resolved sepsis in pregnancy show more maternal vascular malperfusion

Placental pathology after resolved antepartum sepsis: Evidence of persistent vascular and inflammatory injury.

Christine A Blauvelt … Stephanie L Gaw

Placenta · Aug 2026

Background

Sepsis during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, and placental abruption even after maternal recovery.

Methods

We performed placental histopathologic analysis on individuals delivering at a single institution.

n = 49 controls

Results

maternal vascular malperfusion seen in placentas after resolved sepsis, absent in controls

31.8%

Sepsis - MVM

0%

Control - MVM

More results

The most common infection sources were urinary tract (36.4%) and respiratory (36.4%), diagnosed at a mean (SD) gestational age of 25.3 (9.2) weeks.

The sepsis group was younger (31.6 [4.6] vs 34.6 [4.7] years; p = 0.017) and had higher rates of tobacco use (13.6% vs 0%; p = 0.027) and pregestational diabetes (13.6% vs 0%; p = 0.027).

“

Conclusion

Resolved antepartum sepsis is associated with increased placental vascular and inflammatory pathology, suggesting lasting placental injury after severe systemic infection that may underlie adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Placental pathology after resolved antepartum sepsis: Evidence of persistent vascular and inflammatory injury.

Placental pathology after resolved antepartum sepsis: Evidence of persistent vascular and inflammatory injury.

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