Abstract

GALVEZ-VENGOECHEA, María Liliana; ARREAZA-GRATEROL, Mortimer  and  RODRIGUEZ-ORTIZ, Jorge Augusto. Maternal mortality of obstetrics patients requiring ICU attention at the Simón Bolívar hospital in Bogotá, Colombia 2004-2006. Rev Colomb Obstet Ginecol [online]. 2009, vol.60, n.2, pp.152-158. ISSN 0034-7434.

Introduction: critically-ill obstetric patients have unique characteristics; their management is challenged by the presence of a foetus, altered maternal physiology and pregnancy-specific diseases. Pregnant patients account for up to10% of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions in developing countries. Objective: describing maternal mortality in a series of critically-ill obstetric patients admitted to an ICU, assessing disease spectrum, associated conditions, population characteristics and required interventions. Method: this was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the Simón Bolívar Hospital ICU; this is a tertiary care level teaching hospital. Results: 46 obstetric patients requiring ICU admission were evaluated. Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy represented 49 % of the causes for being admitted to an ICU. The maternal mortality of females admitted to the ICU was 4,3% (2 patients) and was related to septic abortion. Overall foetal mortality was 34%. Only 22% of the patients had received proper antenatal care. Conclusions: hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are the first cause of ICU admission. The Simón Bolívar Hospital maternal mortality rate was within international parameters reported for obstetric patients requiring general ICU admission.

Keywords : intensive care unit; obstetrics; maternal mortality; descriptive epidemiology.

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