Abstract
Objective: To carry out a review of the literature on the occurrence of sepsis during pregnancy, considering the challenge of diagnosis and approach. Methods: A literature review was conducted consulting scientific articles indexed in the electronic databases LILACS and SCIELO. Results: Sepsis is the third cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. The pregnant woman is diagnosed more difficult due to the physiological adaptations that occur in the pregnancy state, which are confused with the sepsis criteria. The causes may be obstetric or not, with urinary tract infection being the main cause. Early diagnosis is essential, and clinical signs suggesting hypoperfusion can be used, since hypotension and tachypnea are expected. The auscultation of fetal heart rate is relevant, since tachycardia may be an early sign of sepsis. The priority of treatment should be given to the pregnant woman since the fetal well-being depends on the improvement of the maternal parameters. Final considerations: Maternal deaths due to sepsis are mainly associated with non-obstetric causes. Delay in identification and treatment are important in maternal-fetal prognosis and are amenable to intervention. It is necessary to alert about the physiological peculiarities and criteria that can be used for early recognition and better conduction of sepsis during pregnancy.