Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in pregnancy with good neurological outcome for mother and infant

Abstract

Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is rare (about 1:30000 pregnancies) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are even less frequent. Resuscitation of the pregnant mother is challenging and requires attention to the altered physiology, specific pathologies and the presence and well-being of the fetus. Once circulation has been restored, the lack of high-grade evidence regarding delivery of the baby and post-resuscitation care makes decision making complex. We present a case of out-of-hospital maternal cardiac arrest with successful resuscitation and good neurological outcome for mother and infant. The principal emphases are on decision making, resuscitation and education.

Keywords: Cardiac arrest; Perimortem caesarean section; Pregnancy; Resuscitation.