In the wake of the startling statistic that 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable if treated properly, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has created an educational toolkit focused on educating physicians located in non-obstetric settings, such as emergency departments (EDs) and trauma centers, who do not regularly deal with pregnant patients.
The three ED resource models assist with issues related to cardiovascular disease and acute hypertension in pregnancy and postpartum, as well as eclampsia. The toolkit includes drop-in slides, a newsletter, sample social media posts, and graphics with facts related to treatment.
Many patients will be admitted to EDs seeking treatment for issues not directly related to their pregnancy but will be at higher risk of complications because of it, says Houston obstetrician-gynecologist Carla Ortique, MD, consultant to TMA’s Committee on Reproductive, Women’s and Perinatal Health.
“The toolkit was put out to aid internal medicine, emergency medicine, and family medicine specialists who often treat pregnant patients they see during hospital visits – for doctors who may need additional resources when treating [pregnant patients] who they aren’t used to seeing,” she told Texas Medicine Today. “Many deaths could be prevented by asking the patient, ‘Are you pregnant or have you been pregnant in the last twelve months?’ Some complications extend as far as 12 months postpartum.”
Dr. Ortique is current chair of Texas’ Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Review Committee, which has reported on missed opportunities to identify pregnancy-related emergencies in non-obstetric settings and, along with national organizations like ACOG and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that as many as 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
For more information about the toolkit, visit the ACOG website.
Last Updated On
February 21, 2024
Originally Published On
February 21, 2024
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