Maternal Sepsis: Recognition, Rapid Response, and Recovery
Includes a Live Web Event on 05/11/2026 at 12:00 PM (PDT)
Description:
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026
Time: 3:00 - 4:00 pm ET
Maternal sepsis remains a leading and preventable cause of severe morbidity and mortality, yet early warning signs are often missed during the most vulnerable moments of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. This special Maternal Sepsis Week webinar brings together clinical insights and real-world scenarios to illuminate how delays in recognition, escalation, and treatment contribute to rapid deterioration in maternal patients. Dr. Bauer will walk through evidence-based approaches to timely intervention, including practical strategies for initiating treatment bundles and coordinating multidisciplinary response. The webinar also highlights what happens after the acute crisis, outlining key components of follow-up care that support physical healing, mental health, and long-term recovery for survivors. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to strengthen maternal safety practices across settings and reduce preventable harm during the perinatal period.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the activity, the learner should be able to:
- Describe three delays that lead to maternal death from sepsis;
- Summarize recommended treatment for maternal sepsis;
- Review elements for follow-up after maternal sepsis to aid in recovery.
Target Audience:
Nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, emergency responders, pharmacists, medical technologists, respiratory therapists, physical/occupational therapists, infection prevention specialists, data/quality specialists, and more.
Melissa Bauer, DO
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Population Health Sciences
Duke University Medical Center
Melissa Bauer, DO, is dual fellowship–trained in critical care and obstetric anesthesiology, and is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Population Health Sciences at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Bauer is independently funded by the National Institutes of Health through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where her work is focused on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity due to maternal sepsis.
Dr. Bauer’s research centers on the early identification and treatment of maternal sepsis and the use of patient and community engagement strategies to improve maternal care. She recently served as Chair of the national Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Sepsis in Obstetrical Care Patient Safety Bundle Workgroup. Dr. Bauer has also led the statewide implementation efforts of the maternal sepsis safety bundle in Michigan and serves as a consultant for multiple states on maternal sepsis bundle implementation and quality improvement initiatives.
Sepsis Alliance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Sepsis Alliance designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17068 for 1.2 contact hours.
Other healthcare professionals will receive a certificate of attendance for 1.0 contact hours.
All individuals in control of content for this activity disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Medical Disclaimer
The information on or available through this site is intended for educational purposes only. Sepsis Alliance does not represent or guarantee that information on or available through this site is applicable to any specific patient’s care or treatment. The educational content on or available through this site does not constitute medical advice from a physician and is not to be used as a substitute for treatment or advice from a practicing physician or other healthcare professional. Sepsis Alliance recommends users consult their physician or healthcare professional regarding any questions about whether the information on or available through this site might apply to their individual treatment or care.