Resuscitation of the Pregnant Patient

Many health care providers lack familiarity with maternal physiologic changes and the distinctive underlying etiology of cardiac arrest in pregnancy. Knowledge of what changes are expected in pregnancy and an understanding of how to adapt clinical practice is essential for the care of the pregnant woman in the emergency department. Amniotic fluid embolism should be recognized as a rare cause of cardiac arrest in pregnancy, characterized by the triad of cardiovascular collapse, hypoxic respiratory failure, and coagulopathy. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation should follow standard AHA ACLS guidelines. Resuscitative hysterotomy may be attempted to restore perfusion to both mother and fetus.