Late Pregnancy and Postpartum Emergencies

Abstract

The period just after delivery is a high-risk period for women with associated morbidity and even mortality. There are large variations in complication rates across various groups in the United States. This article covers complications commonly encountered in the emergency department in late pregnancy and the early postpartum period. It specifically addresses postpartum depression, peripartum cardiomyopathy, and the late pregnant or postpartum patient presenting with headache or neurologic complaints. Emergency physicians should be well versed in common and life-threatening postpartum pathologies.

Keywords: Amniotic fluid embolism; Endometritis; Late pregnancy complications; Mastitis; Postpartum complications; Postpartum depression; Postpartum headache; Postpartum hemorrhage.