title: Ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths due to infection.
abstract: Over 300,000 maternal deaths occur each year, 11% of which are thought to be due to infectious causes, and approximately one million newborns die within the first week of life annually due to infectious causes. Infections in pregnancy may result in a variety of adverse obstetrical outcomes, including preterm delivery, pre-labor rupture of membranes, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, congenital infection, and anomalies. This paper reviews the burden of disease due to key infections and their contribution to maternal, perinatal, and newborn morbidity and mortality, as well as key interventions to prevent maternal and newborn deaths related to these infections. Research needs include more accurate clinical and microbiologic surveillance systems, validated risk stratification strategies, better point-of-care testing, and identification of promising vaccine strategies.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Phipps 247, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: mdesale1@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Meghana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desale
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand. Electronic address: jthinkhamrop888@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jadsada
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thinkhamrop
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand. Electronic address: pisake@kku.ac.th.
authors.forename: Pisake
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lumbiganon
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, 27 1211, Switzerland. Electronic address: qazis@who.int.
authors.forename: Shamim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qazi
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Phipps 247, 600 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: janders@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D008403:Mass Screening; D063130:Maternal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000071074:Neonatal Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D066087:Perinatal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D013587:Syphilis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: HIV; malaria; maternal sepsis; neonatal sepsis; respiratory syncytial virus; syphilis