Table 2.

Research gaps and opportunities

Area	Maternal Topics	Neonatal Topics
Prevention of infection	Yes	Yes
Prediction of infection	Yes Colonization versus infection	Yes
Scoring system for probability of sepsis; infection prediction models to guide clinical management	Yes, placental histology, microbiome	Yes – need to define by GA, microbiome
Isolated fever in labor	Management – antipyretics, NSAIDs, antimicrobial agents	Management evaluation and antimicrobial agents
Biomarkers	Prediction, Consensus for design of biomarker validation studies and/or reporting of accuracy	Prediction, guidance for management, consensus for design of biomarker validation studies or reporting of accuracy
Outcomes	In hospital; subsequent reproductive outcomes	In-hospital, morbidities; longer term outcomes including neurodevelopment
Antimicrobial agents	Timing, duration, selection of antimicrobial agents used	Timing, duration, selection of antimicrobial agents used
Post-partum events	Fever, clinical course and its relationship to newborn’s care and management
“Epidural fever” investigation	Management and treatment	Management and treatment
Maternal Fever	Timing, duration, height and impact on clinical care and course	Timing, duration, height and impact on clinical care and course
Duration of antimicrobial therapy	Timing and selection of antimicrobial agents	Term infant- well appearing-Term infant –symptomatic Term infant – resolved minor symptoms Preterm infant
Link studies – mother and baby cohorts		Impact of infection on neurodevelopment impairment or CP
Observation versus treatment		Low risk cohorts
Corticosteroids	Effects –short and long term	Effects prenatal and post-natal
Microbiome – maternal-fetal microbiome ecosystem	Perturbations, influence of GI flora on GU flora	Symbiosis versus pathology