Presented By: Julie Vasher, M.S.N., RNC-OB, CNS-BC, C-EFM
October 2014

Most of the time, pregnant women are able to give birth without complication, however, in the United States, maternal morbidity is on the rise. The two leading complications associated with severe maternal morbidity are OB Hemorrhage and Preeclampsia. Reviews of severe maternal morbidity associated with preeclampsia with severe features indicate that the outcomes of these moms may have been altered if there had been earlier recognition and earlier response. Recently, new guidelines in the care of pregnant women with preeclampsia have highlighted the best practices for identification, recognition, inpatient management and follow up care. There is a national call to implement best practices for pregnant women in every hospital in the United States � let�s start with California. We examine the principles of identification, diagnosis and management with follow up guidelines. We also discuss the upcoming national obstetric patient safety bundle rollout to assist every hospital in California to be prepared to meet these challenges.

Objectives:

• Discuss changes in the diagnosis of severe hypertension in pregnancy
• Identify best practices in management of preeclampsia with severe features
• List two changes that each hospital unit can make to improve care for patients with severe hypertension