Maternal midtrimester sepsis in association with the intrauterine contraceptive device: early histopathologic findings.

PIP: A case study of sepsis of pregnancy associated with a shield-type intrauterine device (IUD) is reported. The patient presented with a 12-hour history of chills and fever, but no other complaints. A pregnancy of 14-16 weeks gestation, with the IUD in place, was confirmed. The fetus, placenta, and IUD were evacuated vaginally and curettage was performed. Histopathologic analysis revealed extensive bacterial colonization of the maternal side of the membranes. Microscopic sections of the placenta and fetal organs showed no remarkable characteristics. Possible explanations of the mechanism of severe maternal sepsis during pregnancy are briefly discussed.^ieng