ABSTRACT
Since 2000, Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK), has investigated the causes of maternal death in the United Kingdom. They produce detailed reports, which include key points and lessons learned. This chapter focuses on the areas, which have been highlighted in the reports as important in improving the care of the sick obstetric patient. It is important never to assume that wheeze on auscultation represents asthma. Most women with asthma will have an established diagnosis before pregnancy. It is unusual for asthma to present for the first time in pregnancy. The presentation of pneumonia in the obstetric patient is similar to the non-obstetric patient with cough, fever and raised inflammatory markers. Pulmonary oedema usually presents with classical signs and symptoms such as orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea (PND) and frothy/pink sputum. Fine inspiratory crackles and/or wheeze may be heard on auscultation.
