Quick Guide: CPR for Pregnant Women

Many biological changes occur when a woman gets pregnant and special care is needed when dealing with them. When it comes to emergency care for pregnant women, it is necessary to learn how to perform CPR for this special group of people. If you choose to learn online first aid and CPR, this should be a training on its own.

Understanding the changes going on in a pregnant woman would help the online first aid and CPR student grasp the technique much better. Here is some information that you need to equip yourself with.

Biological Changes in Pregnant Women

A pregnant woman is responsible for her own health and that of the little one growing in her womb. You may notice that they begin to eat a lot more since they are eating for two, but it is not just the food intake that is for two. Even respiration increases. There is about 20 percent more oxygen taken into their body and this can affect the way CPR is administered.

Another change is in the cardiovascular system. A pregnant woman’s body begins to increase the amount of blood in the body since some of it has to go to the infant. The problem though is that only the blood volume goes up while the blood cells remain the same which causes a special kind of anemia. The heart rate also increases by as much as fifteen percent.

Providing CPR

With knowledge of the changes in the body of pregnant women, it is easier to understand the need for special CPR for them.

First Check Breathing

Just like with any CPR procedure, it is imperative that you ascertain if they are breathing freely or the breathing is obstructed. If there is no sign of breathing or circulation then CPR needs to be performed.

Move the Uterus

The uterus is likely to prevent effective chest pumps so it is necessary to get it out of the way. You can choose to do it manually or have an object used.

To get it out of the way, you may need two people. The first person gets it out of the way, while the other one does the compression.

Alternatively, you could get a thick cloth like a towel and then roll it up then place it right under the left hip of the pregnant woman.

Of the two techniques, the first one is highly favored since it provides more space for effective chest pumps. The chest pumps, however, will not be as vigorous as with an ordinary adult, but neither will they be as mild as CPR for infants. The right rhythm though will need to be taught practically.

Commence Compression

With the right amount of pressure, begin to perform chest compressions, to begin with, do 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths. The chest compression is done to ensure blood flow from the heart continues. This gets oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain and other parts of the body. Continue to perform this until the patient is resuscitated or until the emergency rescue comes.

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Continued Care

Even when the patient is resuscitated, the care does not stop there. This is the same with every victim but it is even more important for pregnant women. There is a need to continue monitoring their heart rate as well as their breathing.

The airway of the pregnant woman needs to be monitored to ensure there is no obstruction. If any tubes have been inserted to promote breathing, they should remain until she can breathe freely on her own. When she gets to the medical facility, an assessment will be done using an X-ray to see if there might be an obstruction of the airways.

For pregnant women, the aftercare is just as important as the initial first aid provided. Constant monitoring is important and the airway must be checked and kept clear. In case it is discovered there is a risk, a solution must be found as soon as possible.

CPR Training

It cannot be overstressed that CPR training for the care of pregnant women needs to be done physically. While you may learn part of it online, there is a need to be physically present for the greater part of the training as you need to practice in order to be ready once there is a real situation. At times an exertion of the airways is necessary and this can only be done by a well trained first aider.

A point to remember is that pregnant women are adults so they will need strong chest compression and yet it should not be the same force applied to an ordinary adult experiencing cardiac arrest. A degree of gentleness needs to be applied and this can only be learned physically and practiced repeatedly.