Management of the intrapartum patient in the intensive care unit: preparing for delivery.

Caring for a critically ill obstetric patient requires a thorough understanding of both the pathophysiology of the disease and the physiologic changes that accompany pregnancy and childbirth. This article addresses the care of an intrapartum patient in an intensive care unit. Physiologic aspects of the labor and delivery process are reviewed with emphasis on nursing assessments and interventions.

Principles of oxygen transport in the critically ill obstetric patient.

Invasive hemodynamic monitoring is commonly used in critically ill patients in whom cardiorespiratory compromise is evident. The information acquired assists the clinician in the assessment of cardiac and intravascular status. However, many patients have complex pathophysiologic conditions that dictate the evaluation of their oxygen transport system.