Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the Pregnant Woman

Maternal collapse is a rare but life-threatening event with a wide range of aetiology. The outcome for the mother and also for the foetus depends on prompt and effective resuscitation. Maternal collapse is defined as an acute event involving the cardiorespiratory system and/or brain resulting in a reduced or absent conscious level (and potentially death) at any stage in pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after delivery. The incidence of maternal collapse or severe maternal morbidity is unknown as morbidity data are not routinely collected. The data showed a severe maternal morbidity rate of 6/1000 (600/100,000) maternities in Scotland, but not all cases of severe maternal morbidity involved maternal collapse (although all cases of collapse were included in the figures). A recent publication from Dublin showed a severe maternal morbidity rate of 3.2/1000 (320/100,000) births. In the last triennium in the UK, the maternal mortality rate was 14/100,000 births, but again not all maternal deaths are preceded by maternal collapse. Thus, the true rate of maternal collapse lies somewhere between 0.14 and 6/1000 (14 and 600/100,000) births [1]. Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is rare encounter, considered to occur in 1:30,000 births [2].