Closing the Educational Gap: Engaging Partners in Maternal Sepsis Recognition After Unscheduled Cesarean Birth.

Abstract

Maternal sepsis accounts for 5% of obstetric intensive care unit admissions and 23% of in-hospital maternal deaths in the United States, 63% of which are preventable. Individuals who undergo unscheduled cesarean birth face elevated postoperative infection risk, yet partners and support persons are rarely included in discharge sepsis education. During recovery, the birthing person simultaneously manages surgical pain, sedation effects, and neonatal care demands, all of which can delay early sepsis recognition. This article presents an evidence-based framework for nurses to deliver partner-focused sepsis education following unscheduled cesarean birth, addressing timing, content, communication strategies, clinical tools, and documentation. Incorporating partners into routine postoperative nursing care is a practical, high-impact intervention that supports earlier recognition, reduces care-seeking delays, and may prevent maternal deaths.