Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Oct-Dec;46(4):403-416.
doi: 10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000476.

Medical Emergencies in the Pregnant Patient

Affiliations
Review

Medical Emergencies in the Pregnant Patient

Adeel Nasrullah et al. Crit Care Nurs Q. 2023 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

This review article provides a comprehensive overview of common medical emergencies that can occur in pregnant patients. We summarize the key diagnostic and management steps for each emergency to assist health care professionals in identifying and treating these potentially life-threatening conditions. The medical emergencies discussed in this article include postpartum hemorrhage; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome; acute fatty liver of pregnancy; amniotic fluid embolism; pulmonary embolism; acute respiratory distress syndrome; and shock. Each condition is described in detail, with a focus on the clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment options. The information presented in this review article is based on current best practices and guidelines from leading medical organizations. We hope this article will serve as a valuable resource for health care professionals who care for pregnant patients and help improve outcomes for these patients in emergency situations.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The other authors report no conflicts of interest.

References

    1. Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Osterman MJK. Births: provisional data for 2020. 2021. doi:10.15620/cdc:104993.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reproductive health: pregnancy mortality surveillance system. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/pregnancy-mort... . Accessed December 16, 2022.
    1. Yi HY, Jeong SY, Kim SH, et al. Indications and characteristics of obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a 22-year review in a tertiary care center. Obstet Gynecol Sci. 2018;61(2):209–219. doi:10.5468/ogs.2018.61.2.209.
    1. Pollock W, Rose L, Dennis C-L. Pregnant and postpartum admissions to the intensive care unit: a systematic review. Intensive Care Med. 2010;36(9):1465–1474. doi:10.1007/s00134-010-1951-0.
    1. Griffin KM, Oxford-Horrey C, Bourjeily G. Obstetric disorders and critical illness. Clin Chest Med. 2022;43(3):471–488. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2022.04.008.

LinkOut - more resources