Anaesthesia | Patient specific populations | Obstetric complications

Obstetric Complications
Session Overview
Description
This session describes the indications, provision and additional considerations of critical care for pregnant women.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Describe obstetric complications that most commonly result in critical care admission
• Describe the incidence of non-obstetric pathology in pregnant women requiring critical care
• Explain how physiological changes and the additional considerations in pregnancy affect recognition of the critically unwell woman, and their management and resuscitation

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should have:

• Knowledge of the major CVS, RS and upper GIT physiological changes of normal pregnancy
• A good working knowledge of the Resuscitation Council (UK) Adult Advanced Life Support (ALS) Algorithm

You should also complete:

• Physiological Changes During Pregnancy (001-0368)
• Pharmacological Changes During Pregnancy (001-0369)
• Cardiac Arrest in Pregnancy (001-0389)
• Physiology of Pregnancy and Labour 1 (001-0706)
• Physiology of Pregnancy and Labour 2 (001-0707)

Pregnancy and childbirth is a major life event for women and their families.

It is important for the few women who become critically ill during this time, that they receive the same standard of care for both their pregnancy-related and critical care needs. This care should be delivered by professionals with the same level of competences, irrespective of whether these are provided in a maternity or general critical care setting [1](read details regarding the reference).