Sepsis Awareness Month: Recognize the Signs, Save Lives
What Is Sepsis (and Why September Matters)
Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body’s extreme response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs. Without quick diagnosis and treatment, sepsis can lead to shock, multi-organ failure, and death.
While anyone can develop sepsis, certain groups face higher risk—newborns, young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems, and pregnant or postpartum individuals.
In the United States alone:
- More than 1.7 million people are diagnosed with sepsis every year.
- 350,000 adults die from it—more than deaths from opioid overdoses, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined.
- Sepsis takes a life every two minutes.
September is Sepsis Awareness Month, first declared by Sepsis Alliance in 2011, and it’s our opportunity to spread the word about this public health crisis. Awareness saves lives—recognizing the symptoms and seeking care can mean the difference between recovery and tragedy.
Early Recognition Saves Lives
The key to surviving sepsis is speed. For every hour treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases by 4%–9%. As many as 80% of sepsis deaths could be prevented with early recognition and treatment.
Sepsis Alliance uses the acronym T.I.M.E. to help people remember the signs:
If you or a loved one shows any of these symptoms—especially if there’s an existing infection—seek emergency medical care immediately. Trust your instincts; acting fast saves lives.
Maternal Sepsis: Protecting Parents Before, During, and After Birth
While sepsis can affect anyone, it poses a special threat to pregnant and postpartum people. Maternal sepsis is organ dysfunction caused by infection during pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, or up to 42 days postpartum. It’s one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide—and in the United States, racial and ethnic disparities make the risk even greater.
Black women are 3.3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and Native American and Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely. These disparities highlight the urgent need for equitable, high-quality maternal care.
Preventing and responding to maternal sepsis includes:
- Screening and prevention – Prenatal infection checks for conditions like Group B Strep and urinary tract infections.
- Proactive antibiotic use – When medically indicated, such as before certain surgeries or if membranes rupture early.
- Not relying solely on fever – Sepsis in obstetric patients may present without elevated temperature.
- Rapid response protocols – Standardized processes in healthcare facilities for recognizing and treating maternal sepsis quickly.
- Maternal Early Warning Systems (MEWS) – Tools that track changes in vital signs and trigger prompt evaluation.
Every prenatal visit, delivery, and postpartum check-up is a chance to talk about infection prevention and sepsis warning signs.
The Bottom Line
Sepsis is a medical emergency, but it’s also often preventable. Rapid diagnosis and treatment can save lives. This September—and all year long—commit to knowing the signs, speaking up, and acting fast.
Sepsis: It’s About T.I.M.E.
Learn more at SepsisAwarenessMonth.org and sepsis.org/sepsisand/pregnancy-childbirth/.
References
Sepsis Alliance. (2025). 2025 Sepsis Awareness Month toolkit. Sepsis Alliance. https://www.sepsisawarenessmonth.org
Sepsis Alliance. (n.d.). Key sepsis facts. Sepsis Alliance. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://www.sepsis.org/education/resources/fact-sheets/
Safer Childbirth Cities – AIM Program. (2024). Sepsis in obstetric care: Patient safety bundle. SaferBirth.org. https://saferbirth.org/psbs/sepsis-in-obstetric-care/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Sepsis: Clinical information. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/
World Sepsis Day. (n.d.). Sepsis facts. Global Sepsis Alliance. Retrieved August 12, 2025, from https://www.worldsepsisday.org/sepsisfacts
