Skip to main content
SMFM 2024 Pregnancy Meeting Main banner
Final Program


Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
Additional registration fee required
Additional registration fee required
Faculty have requested this content not be shared on social media
Faculty have requested this content not be shared on social media
CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Poster Icons
Foundation Awardee
Foundation Awardee
No Social Media
No Social Media
Back
Q&A

Obstetric Quality and Safety

Poster Session 4

(1132) Lived experiences of pregnant patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU admission

Wednesday, February 14, 2024
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective:

We sought to understand the lived experiences of pregnant patients requiring ICU admission due to severe COVID-19 infection including their familiarity with their diagnosis and hospital course, and the impact of their ICU stay on peripartum wellbeing.


Study Design:

A qualitative descriptive study was performed using semi-structured interviews at a single tertiary care medical center.  All pregnant subjects had a diagnosis of COVID-19 requiring ICU admission between March 2020 and October 2022. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, transcribed verbatim, identifiers removed, and coded thematically using the Dedoose data analysis software.


Results:

A total of 17 subjects were approached and 9 were enrolled. 8 of 9 subjects (88.9%) required intubation and 3 (33.3%) received ECMO while in the ICU. Our study identified four themes describing the experiences of pregnant patients requiring ICU admission due to severe COVID-19: (a) intense loneliness and confusion due to the pandemic, hospitalization, and visitor restrictions (b) depersonalization and feeling absent during a key life event (c) complex birth trauma with several subjects reporting new debilitating psychiatric diagnoses after their ICU admissions and (d) resiliency from either religious beliefs, strengthened family relationships, or the need to survive for their newborn.


Conclusion:

Pregnant patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 experience unique physical, cognitive, and mental challenges secondary to their hospitalization and transition into the fourth trimester. Our subjects felt fear, confusion, and a painful absence from a major life event, with an increase in psychiatric diagnoses following hospitalization. Many patients described a reinvigoration of spiritual faith and maintaining family relationships. Pregnant patients surviving critical illness may benefit from additional tailored support, and a detailed review of their complex courses with their medical team.