Drug therapy for obstetric emergencies

Drug therapy for the treatment of obstetric emergencies frequently consists of medications not commonly used by the emergency physician such as Rho(D) immune globulin, 15-methyl prostaglandin F2a (carboprost), and ritodrine hydrochloride. This article focuses on those agents for which emergency use is confined to the obstetric emergency or where the administration of a commonly used drug acquires unique characteristics because of the clinical situation. In either case, a thorough understanding of the indications, contraindications, dose, route of administration, and side effects of these drugs will allow prompt and effective management of a variety of obstetric emergencies.