Table 2 Predictors of severe maternal outcomes in women with maternal sepsis at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2017–2021 (n = 298)

Hospital stays in days

7 days and below

17(23.61)

139(61.50)

1

1

> 7 days

55(76.39)

87(38.50)

5.17(2.82,9.48)

4.25(1.52,11.87) *

ANC visit

Yes

30(41.67)

133(58.85)

1

1

No

42(58.33)

93(41.15)

2.00(1.17,3.43)

1.61(0.65,3.98)

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Yes

19(26.39)

41(18.14)

1.62(0.87,3.02)

1.51(0.56,4.08)

No

53(73.61)

185(81.86)

1

1

Parity

One and below

28(38.89)

127(56.19)

1

1

Two and above

44(61.11)

99(43.81)

2.01(1.17,3.46)

2.41(1.04,5.60) *

Presence of chronic medical illness

Yes

9(12.50)

7(3.10)

4.46(1.60, 12.48)

3.16(0.48,20.63)

No

63(87.50)

219(96.90)

1

1

Mode of delivery

SVD

48(66.67)

123(54.42)

1.67(0.96,2.91)

1.67(0.67,4.18)

Non SVD (CS, instrumental or laparotomy)

24(33.33)

103(45.58)

1

1

Focus of infection

Lung

32(44.44)

12(5.31)

14.26(6.77,30.04)

9.83(3.70,26.14) *

Others*

40(55.56)

214(94.69)

1

1

Severity of sepsis

Septic shock

29(40.28)

9(3.98)

16.26(7.19,36.78)

24.19(7.28,80.28) *

Sepsis alone

43(59.72)

217(96.02)

1

1

Switch of antibiotics

Yes

37(51.39)

37(16.37)

5.4(3.02,9.65)

3.94(1.60,9.69) *

No

35(48.61)

189(83.63)

1

1

Status of sepsis diagnosis

Pregnancy

19(26.39)

32(14.16)

2.25(1.16,4.35)

2.01(0.64,6.35)

Post abortion

10(13.89)

31(13.72)

1.22(0.56,2.68)

2.38(0.66,8.44)

Intrapartum and Postpartum

43(59.72)

163(72.12)

1

1

Site of infection acquired

Community

37(54.41)

118(60.51)

1

1

Hospital

31(45.59)

77(39.49)

1.28(0.73,2.24)

0.71(0.26,1.90)

Residence

Urban

22(30.56)

95(42.04)

0.61(0.34,1.06)

1.37(0.56,3.33)

Rural

50(69.44)

131(57.96)

1

1

Delivery place

Home

12(16.67)

26(11.50)

1.54(0.73,3.23)

1.21(0.35,4.17)

Health facilities

60(83.33)

200(88.50)

1

1