This book will serve as a pocket guide, offering rapid advice on appropriate emergency care for a wide range of obstetric situations, including acute fetal hypoxia, uterine rupture, shoulder dystocia, eclampsia, amniotic fluid embolism, pulmonary thromboembolism, retention of the aftercoming head, major postpartum hemorrhage, and uterine inversion. For each emergency, the definition, diagnosis, and recommended management strategy are reviewed from a pan-European perspective. Regular review and training in obstetric emergencies is the only effective way to develop and maintain clinical competence in these rare and life-threatening situations, thus improving their management and the resulting outcomes. Healthcare professionals will find this book offers a practical and reliable source of information for dealing with dangerous and acute complications of pregnancy and childbirth. This book provides a practical guide to the management of obstetric emergencies - acute complications during pregnancy and childbirth that pose a life-threatening risk to the mother and/or the fetus, and whose treatment requires an almost immediate response from the healthcare team in order to guarantee a favorable outcome. The book covers two essential areas: the "predominately fetal" emergencies - acute fetal hypoxia/acidosis, shoulder dystocia, and retention of the aftercoming head; and the "predominately maternal" emergencies - eclampsia, maternal cardiorespiratory arrest and post-partum hemorrhage. The book offers a valuable guide for healthcare professionals who deal with obstetric patients, as they may use it for reviewing these rare situations and for consultation when they encounter them. It is also a useful reference manual for simulation-based courses designed to develop and maintain clinical expertise in this area. Healthcare professionals will find that this book offers a comprehensive and pan-European perspective on the clinical management of these situations, as well as a pragmatic and reliable source of information for dealing with acute complications of pregnancy and childbirth Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction....Pages 1-3 Front Matter....Pages 5-5 Acute Fetal Hypoxia/Acidosis....Pages 7-25 Shoulder Dystocia....Pages 27-40 Retention of the After-Coming Head....Pages 41-50 Front Matter....Pages 51-51 Eclampsia....Pages 53-61 Postpartum Haemorrhage....Pages 63-80 Maternal Cardiorespiratory Arrest....Pages 81-91
