Jessica's Trust: raising awareness of childbed fever

1. Every new mother to be handed a leaflet or card with information about childbed fever and its symptoms.
2. Every new mother to have regular observations recorded on a Modified Early Obstetric Warning System (MEOWS) chart - in hospital and at home.
3. Every doctor and midwife to have clear sepsis guidelines.

Health - Diseases and Disease Research

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Campaign to raise awareness of Childbed Fever.

Historically, childbed fever (puerperal sepsis) was the leading cause of maternal death in the UK but, due in part to penicillin, cases have declined significantly since the 1930s and the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health reported no deaths attributable to sepsis between 1982 and 1984.

Since then, deaths have increased and septicaemia now accounts for 14% of direct maternal death.

In western medicine today childbed fever is unlikely to be caused by poor hygiene - although historically it was the lack of hygiene standards that led to its spread in epidemic proportions.

It is a very serious form of septicaemia, caused by organisms such as the Group A streptococcus (GAS) bacteria which, if untreated, may lead to toxic shock syndrome, multi-organ failure and death.

Although occasionally caused by retained placenta, most cases have no obvious underlying cause. A perfect, complication free delivery is no guarantee of safety from childbed fever, and anybody can be affected.

Possible symptoms of childbed fever:

* Headache, feeling generally unwell
* Sore throat
* Raised temperature (over 38°C is a fever)
* Fast pulse (over 100 beats per minute)
* Fast breathing
* Offensive vaginal discharge
* Rash
* Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
* Adbominal/leg pains

Childbed fever can strike down any new mother, irrespective of age, fitness or health.

Fever is an obvious sign of infection, but not everyone who develops septicaemia has a temperature, so it is important to look at all of the symptoms as a whole.

If you have two or more of these symptoms, especially if they are getting worse, or if you are in any doubt, please call your GP or midwife, or go to hospital immediately. Remember, the infection can get worse in hours, not days.