ABSTRACT
Acute respiratory failure is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Hypoxic respiratory failure is more dangerous than hypercapnic respiratory failure (ventilatory fail ure). Hypoxic respiratory failure results from cardiogenic pulmonary edema; severe infec tious or aspiration pneumonia; embolism with air, fat, thrombi, or amniotic fluid; and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
