Postpartum pulmonary edema is a rare clinical entity.1 Acute pulmonary edema, which signifies severe disease, is a leading cause of death in women with preeclampsia, and the fourth most common form of maternal morbidity. It is also frequently the reason for intensive care admission, and may occur during antenatal, intrapartum or postpartum periods.2 Pulmonary edema complicates around 0,05% of low-risk pregnancies but may develop in up to 2,9% of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia3-4, with 70% of cases occurring after birth.2-3 A clinician needs to be aware of the physiologic changes in the maternal cardiovascular system that accompany pregnancy predispose to the development of pulmonary edema, such as increase in plasma blood volume, cardiac output, heart rate, and capillary permeability and a decrease in plasma colloid osmotic pressure. Resuscitation is the foremost priority, followed by formulation of a differential diagnosis to address the underlying condition.4 Here we report a postpartum patient who presented with acute pulmonary edema with severe respiratory compromise.

Published: 2017-02-02