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Research Article| Volume 7, ISSUE 4, P917-928, October 1991

Critical Care Obstetrics: Management of the Fetus

  • Jeffrey P. Phelan
    Correspondence
    Address reprint requests to: Jeffrey P. Phelan, MD, JD, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, 160 East Artesia Street, Suite 350, Pomona, CA 91767
    Affiliations
    Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, Pomona, California
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      Critical care obstetrics deals with the simultaneous management of two, and sometimes more, individuals. As a result, the critical care specialist must balance the effects of each treatment decision on the pregnant woman and her fetus in an effort to minimize the risks of morbidity and mortality to both. This article reviews fetal considerations that could confront the critical care specialist, including relevant fetal cardiovascular physiology, placental exchange, fetal adaptions to asphyxia, and current techniques used to assess fetal well-being.
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