It is essential that post-fertilization embryo development, implantation, and decidualization take place properly in mammals for a healthy pregnancy (Psychoyos, 1973). The inflammatory process, which should be in balance during pregnancy, is important for trophoblast invasion, tissue and vascular remodeling, embryo growth, and initiation of delivery (Guzeloglu-Kayisli et al., 2009). Immune cells and cytokines play important roles during pregnancy. Cytokines enable cells to communicate with each other. They partially control the interaction between the embryo and the maternal endometrium and regulate their functions. In addition to immune cells and cytokines, the placenta plays a role in the maternal immune tolerance of the semi-allogeneic fetus (Dominguez et al., 2005, van Mourik et al. 2009). Pregnancy outcomes depend on the fine control of the interaction between the placenta, the endometrium and the immune cells within. Imbalances in cytokine expression levels and signaling may lead to pregnancy pathologies such as spontaneous abortion, pre-term birth, and pre-eclampsia (Guzeloglu-Kayisli et al., 2009). The key mediator of inflammation is Nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which has a role in the production of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)− 1β and IL-18, and inflammasome-dependent programmed cell death pathway pyroptosis (Fang et al., 2020). Recent studies have examined the expression and functions of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which regulates inflammatory responses in the endometrium and placenta. Studies have shown that overactivation or inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway may contribute to pregnancy complications. In this review, we focused on and summarised the NLRP3 inflammasome and its roles in normal and pathological pregnancies. This inflammasome pathway must remain balanced at all stages of pregnancy. However, a deeper understanding and explanation of how this mechanism works is necessary to ensure healthy pregnancy and treatment of pathological pregnancies. Furthermore, unlike the NLRP3 inflammasome, studies on normal and pathological pregnancies regarding other inflammasome pathways such as NLRP1, NLRP2, NLRP7 and NLRC4 are limited. For this reason, we think that there is still a need to investigate other inflammasome complexes during pregnancy.