Emergency medical team interventions involving pregnant patients of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (Poland) in 2020-2022.

backgroundPregnancy is a natural and extraordinary time in a woman's life. Nonetheless, it is important to note that even during a normal course of pregnancy, there is a possibility of the manifestation of symptoms that may occur and require instantly care. The aim of this study was to analyze Emergency Medical Team (EMT) dispatches to pregnant women in 2020-2022 in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship (Poland).

methodsThe study was conducted using retrospective analysis. 400,251 patients were screened, of which 3116 pregnant women (0.79% of total patients) were included in the study. Calls to Ground-Based Emergency Medical Teams were classified under the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). The data were also analyzed according to date of call (year, quarter, semester), territory covered by the EMT, scene of the emergency, patient age, medical procedures applied, selected vital parameters, type of emergency (life-threatening vs. not life-threatening), and patient outcome (left at the scene vs. hospitalization).

resultsGeneral analysis showed the mean age of pregnant women covered by this study to be 28.60 (SD 6.75) years. 2020 saw the highest number of dispatches (n = 1140). Most of the deployments were to locations with a population of less than 10,000 (52.98%) and to the patient's home (90.50%). 31.00% of patients received a labor-related ICD-10 diagnosis, including preterm labor and complication of labor. Placement of intravenous access (66.43%) and monitoring of vital signs (51.99%) were the most common procedures performed during the interventions. A life-threatening emergency was found in 41.8% of the women. A chi-square test showed statistically significant relationships between: patient age and life-threatening emergency (chi-square (df = 1) = 4.00; p = 0.045), life-threatening emergency and date of call (chi-square (df = 5) = 22.39; p < 0.001), as well as the area of intervention and scene of emergency (chi-square (df = 2) = 57.17; p < 0.001).

conclusionThe study showed that Emergency Medical Team interventions involving pregnant women most often concerned patients staying at home and living in smaller localities. The most common reasons for dispatch were labor and its complications, as well as other pregnancy-related conditions. The prevalence of life-threatening emergencies was higher among pregnant women aged 36 years and older. An increase in life-threatening emergencies was observed from the second half of 2020 onward, which may have been associated with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings indicate the need to enhance Emergency Medical Team training in the management of pregnant patients and obstetric emergencies. Particular attention should also be paid to the accurate assessment and documentation of basic vital signs. Special care and monitoring should be provided to pregnant women aged 36 years and older due to their increased risk of life-threatening emergencies.