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Maternal cardiac arrest — DIPIMC MCQ

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HardResuscitationMaternal cardiac arrestDIPIMCDipIMC

A woman at 34 weeks of pregnancy collapses in cardiac arrest. CPR is in progress, and the uterus is palpable well above the umbilicus.

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Correct answer: C — Apply manual left uterine displacement and prepare for early resuscitative hysterotomy.

In maternal cardiac arrest beyond around 20 weeks, manual left uterine displacement relieves aortocaval compression, and resuscitative hysterotomy is started early, ideally within five minutes, to aid maternal resuscitation. Right-sided tilt worsens the compression. Defibrillation is used as normal in pregnancy.

Reference: Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines (2025)