Recent Guidelines in Obstetric Emergencies in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the recent progress in the field of medicine, the developing countries lag far behind in providing good maternal care and obstetric intensive care facilities. The maternal mortality has steeply come down in the developed nations while developing nations are still struggling as they contribute 99% of the total global maternal deaths. The incidence of intensive care unit (ICU) admission of an obstetric patient in developed countries is 2-4/1000 deliveries, whereas in the developing nations it is as high as 2-13.5/1,000 deliveries. Aim of the Work: We will discuss obstetric emergencies starting from physiological changes occurring during pregnancy, pathophysiology and different causes of obstetric emergencies, indication of intensive care admission and how to manage them according to recent guidelines. Summary: Pregnancy is a physiological process in which many changes occur in every body system to ensure adequate fetal nutritional requirements and oxygenation. There are many diseases that may accompany pregnancy as a pre-existing disease that may be aggravated by pregnancy or pregnancy related diseases (as preeclampsia).