Maternal collapse — first response 🚨 🤰
🧠 Clinical mechanism: Pregnancy alters haemodynamics, ventilation and resuscitation positioning; haemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, eclampsia, sepsis and cardiac disease are key reversible causes.
🔎 Recognise
- Unconsciousness, seizure, profound hypotension, severe hypoxia or cardiac arrest during pregnancy or postpartum.
🛟 First assessment and action
- Call obstetric, resuscitation, anaesthetic and neonatal teams; ABCDE/RCUK resuscitation, uterine displacement when indicated, and rapid cause-specific treatment.
🧪 Investigations and reassessment
- Bedside observations/ECG/glucose, haemoglobin, blood gases and ultrasound only as clinically useful without delaying resuscitation.
⚠️ Pitfall / escalation
- Pregnancy-specific arrest algorithms and resuscitative delivery decisions require trained teams; no single diagnosis should be assumed.
UK reference: Primary NHS/NICE/RCOG/GMC source.
Editorial draft, 7 November 2026: targeted source-supported educational summary, NOT independent consultant/pharmacist verification or a treatment protocol. Follow up-to-date BNF, NICE and local NHS pathways.
Related: Shock in Pregnancy · Suspected pulmonary embolism in pregnancy 🚨 🤰 · Eclampsia or severe pre-eclampsia 🚨 🤰