Effect of Fetal Delivery on Pao2/Fio2 Ratio During Mechanical Ventilation in Parturients With COVID-19: A Case Series

Bhavani Shankar Kodali1, Michael J Wong1, Allison Lankford2

  • 1From the Departments of Anesthesiology.

A&A Practice
|July 25, 2022
PubMed

It is controversial whether fetal delivery improves maternal oxygenation during mechanical ventilation. We evaluated maternal arterial partial pressure of oxygen (Pao2) to fractional oxygen concentration (Fio2) (P/F) ratios before and after delivery in this series of 15 parturients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Compared to the immediate postpartum period, P/F ratio was increased at 48 hours (212 ± 101 vs 271 ± 90; P = .006). Linear regression demonstrated improvement in P/F ratio during the study period (slope, 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-5.34; P = .007), although predelivery and postdelivery periods separately did not exhibit any specific trend. Five patients required emergent bedside delivery. We discuss numerous considerations guiding delivery planning during mechanical ventilation.

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