A Case of Amniotic Fluid Embolism during the Labor.

Park, Chan Wook; Kim, Sung Soo; Han, Soo Yeon; Ko, Eun Mi; Shim, Soon Sup; Cheon, Dae Woo; Park, Joong Shin; Jun, Jong Kwan; Yoon, Bo Hyun; Syn, Hee Chul

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2002;45(5):864-868.
Published online May 1, 2002.

A Case of Amniotic Fluid Embolism during the Labor.

Chan Wook Park, Sung Soo Kim, Soo Yeon Han, Eun Mi Ko, Soon Sup Shim, Dae Woo Cheon, Joong Shin Park, Jong Kwan Jun, Bo Hyun Yoon, Hee Chul Syn

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine,Seoul, Korea.
²Bombit Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Amniotic fluid embolism continues to be a life-threatening. It is an unexpected and rare complication of pregnancy often presenting with sudden maternal cardiovascular collapse, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and maternal death. In the past, the diagnosis of amniotic fluid embolism was made when a woman presented with one of those clinical hallmarks and at autopsy fetal squamous and amniotic fluid cells were found within the maternal pulmonary arteries. However, several studies have demonstrated that squamous cells, trophoblasts, and other debris of fetal origin may commonly be found in the central circulation of women with conditions other than amniotic fluid embolism. Thus, this finding is neither sensitive nor specific. We present a case that was diagnosed clinically as amniotic fluid embolism by characteristic signs and symptoms during the labor, resulting in maternal death.

Key Words: Amniotic fluid embolism, DIC, Maternal death