Obstetric and gynecologic emergencies

This article reviews the pearls and pitfalls of obstetric and gynecologic emergencies occurring in women presenting to the emergency department. Some pitfalls include failure to screen for ectopic pregnancy, tachycardia as an unreliable indicator of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, and the use of serum hCG as a testing procedure during pregnancy. Updates include serologic markers of ectopic pregnancy, ultrasonography in the emergency department, methotrexate treatment of ectopic pregnancy, traumatic placental separation, and fetomaternal hemorrhage.