[gebABCDE: An algorithm addressing prehospital delivery - Obstetric Emergencies Series, Part 3]

Acute obstetric complications may occur in any situation and at any time during pregnancy. Patients transported to a hospital may require more time than available, so in these cases emergency care must at least begin outside an inpatient perinatological facility. Although diverse maternal threats require different emergency-treatment strategies, rescue teams are particularly challenged when a prehospital delivery appears to be imminent. Under the terms of emergency medical services professional perinatal options (diagnostics, therapy) are generally not available. This makes clinical knowledge of the specific symptoms, differential diagnoses, hazard profiles and their handling mandatory for the emergency medical physician. When limitations concerning the prehospital setting are considered, a systematic management pathway along the obstetrical ABCDE-scheme - _gebABCDE -guides the perinatologically inexperienced emergency physician safely from step to step. Complementary telemedical support is offered by perinatological specialists who can be called directly over an obstetrical telephone hotline for emergency physicians (24/7) - _gebHOTLINE.