Obstetric Transport and Factors Associated With Transport to the Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Maternal-fetal medicine
• Critical care medicine
• Emergency medical services

Background:

• Obstetric transport to higher care levels is recommended for critically ill pregnant individuals to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity.
• Data on the characteristics and outcomes of these specialized transports remain limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the characteristics of obstetric transports within an integrated health system.
• To identify factors associated with direct transport to an intensive care unit (ICU) versus other hospital units.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1,087 obstetric transports from January 2020 to December 2023.
• Comparison of patient demographics, transport details, and clinical factors between ICU and non-ICU transports.

Main Results:

• Obstetric transports to the ICU occurred in 3.2% of cases.
• Transport to the ICU was associated with longer physician consultation, shorter flight team dispatch, longer stabilization, and longer patient loading times.
• Factors independently associated with ICU transport included COVID-19 diagnosis, postpartum status, and increased travel distance.

Conclusions:

• Obstetric transports directly to ICUs are infrequent but necessitate specialized care protocols.
• Understanding factors influencing ICU admission during transport can optimize resource allocation and patient management.