Critical care in obstetrics: a strategy for addressing maternal mortality

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Critical Care Medicine
• Maternal Health

Background:

• Increasing medical complexity of obstetrical patients contributes to rising maternal morbidity and mortality in the US.
• 1-3% of obstetrical patients require intensive care, highlighting the need for timely delivery and critical care access.
• Obstetrical providers often lack experience in managing critically ill patients, creating a gap in care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the growing need for critical care expertise in obstetrics.
• To redefine care delivery for high-risk obstetrical patients.
• To summarize key interventions for preventing maternal morbidity and mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing evidence-based tools for risk stratification and timely referral.
• Implementing innovative hospital pathways for critical care consultations in labor and delivery.
• Training obstetrical providers in essential critical care skills, including point-of-care ultrasonography.

Main Results:

• Key tenets for preventing maternal morbidity and mortality were summarized.
• Focus on risk stratification, timely referrals, and critical care consultations.
• Training in high-yield critical care skills for obstetrical providers was emphasized.

Conclusions:

• Critical care-focused interventions are vital for managing complex obstetrical populations.
• These interventions address rising maternal morbidity and mortality.
• Provides an educational framework for training future obstetrical providers in critical care.