Obstetric emergencies
BMJ 1999; 318 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7194.1342 (Published 15 May 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;318:1342
- Geoffrey Chamberlain,
- Philip Steer
The management of emergencies is usually the responsibility of hospital obstetricians. As more maternity care is now given in the community, however, midwives, general practitioners, and paramedics may be involved and must know the outlines of management of emergencies and the possible side effects. If such a situation occurs outside the hospital then arrangements must be made to transport the woman to the obstetric unit safely and promptly.
The first principles of dealing with obstetric emergencies are the same as for any emergency (see to the airway, breathing, and circulation), but remember that in obstetrics there are two patients; the fetus is very vulnerable to maternal hypoxia
Clinical features of abruption of the placenta
Symptoms
Abdominal pain
evere shock with symptoms beyond vaginal blood loss
Vaginal bleeding—usually old blood
Signs
Shock
Spasm of uterus—described as woody
Tender uterus
Fetal parts hard to feel
Often no fetal heart is heard
All emergency protocols should have been considered beforehand and mutually agreed by obstetricians, midwives, general practitioners, and paramedics. Everybody then knows their immediate priority, and hazards to the woman can be minimised.
Abruption of the placenta
An abruption is a death threat to the fetus and a hazard to the mother. When the placenta separates from its bed (probably because of the rupture of a malformed blood vessel), the damage to the fetus follows not just because of the barrier that the clot makes between the placental bed and villi but also because the release of prostaglandins causes a major degree of uterine spasm. This interferes with perfusion of the placenta, which remains attached. Blood tracking into the myometrium often goes as far as the peritoneum over the uterus, causing much pain and shock, with spasm of the uterine muscle.
Emergency treatment of abruption
Treat the shock
Give oxygen
Insert intravenous lines
Arrange a cross match of 6 units of blood
Give morphine (if fetus dead) …
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