Care of the Obstetric Patient in the ICU

A summary of the essentials

The lecture duration is 19min.

0.5 CPD Points, 0.5 CEUs, 0.5 CME credits approval pending.
Accredited by CPDUK, CBRN and Provider Pending.

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Stephen Lapinsky
Professor of Critical Care and Director of the Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Lecture Summary

Management of the critically ill pregnant patient is a relatively uncommon situation, and the usual clinical approach may be altered by the physiologic changes induced by pregnancy, by the relatively uncommon pregnancy-specific conditions, and by perceived limitations on therapy produced by the presence of a fetus. This talk reviews the physiological changes occurring in pregnancy and the potential risks of critical illness to the fetus. Select life-threatening conditions during pregnancy are discussed, including amniotic fluid embolism, sepsis and respiratory failure, with a brief overview of cardiac arrest management in the pregnant patient.

Target Audience

Critical Care Doctors
Experienced or advanced Critical Care Nurses

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, you should be able to:

  • Understand the physiology of fetal oxygenation and the effects on this of maternal critical illness
  • Identify the differences in presentation and management between the nonpregnant and pregnant patient with sepsis
  • Provide an approach to mechanical ventilation in the pregnant patient with respiratory failure

None.