Amniotic fluid embolism

Amniotic fluid embolism
Amniotic fluid embolism
	Intravascular squames are present in this example of amniotic fluid embolism.
Specialty	Obstetrics
Risk factors	Advanced maternal age, history of pre-eclampsia, uterine rupture, fetal distress
Frequency	1 in 20,000 births

An amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a life-threatening childbirth (obstetric) emergency in which amniotic fluid enters the blood stream of the mother, triggering a serious reaction which results in cardiorespiratory (heart and lung) collapse and massive bleeding (coagulopathy).^[1]^[2]^[3] The rate at which it occurs is 1 instance per 20,000 births and it comprises 10% of all maternal deaths.

^ Stafford, Irene; Sheffield, Jeanne (2007). "Amniotic Fluid Embolism". Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 34 (3): 545–553. doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2007.08.002. ISSN 0889-8545. PMID 17921014. S2CID 30754268.^{[subscription required]}
^ Stein, Paul (2016). Pulmonary embolism. Chichester, West Sussex, UK Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 9781119039099.
^ *Leveno, Kenneth (2016). Williams manual of pregnancy complications. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 223–224. ISBN 9780071765626.

[StaffordSheffield2007-1] Stafford, Irene; Sheffield, Jeanne (2007). "Amniotic Fluid Embolism". Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 34 (3): 545–553. doi:10.1016/j.ogc.2007.08.002. ISSN 0889-8545. PMID 17921014. S2CID 30754268.^{[subscription required]}

[stein2016-2] Stein, Paul (2016). Pulmonary embolism. Chichester, West Sussex, UK Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 9781119039099.

[3] *Leveno, Kenneth (2016). Williams manual of pregnancy complications. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical. pp. 223–224. ISBN 9780071765626.

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