During maternal cardiac arrest, what is recommended?

• A. Do nothing
• B. Provide CPR and ALS as you would for any trauma patient
• C. Delay CPR
• D. Immediate cesarean

Answer: (B)

During maternal cardiac arrest, start high‑quality CPR immediately and follow ACLS/ALS just as you would for any adult in arrest. Pregnancy doesn’t change the need for rapid chest compressions, airway management, defibrillation when indicated, and medication administration. What changes is adding obstetric-specific steps to support return of circulation: place the patient with left uterine displacement (or manually displace the uterus) to relieve aortocaval compression and improve venous return during resuscitation. Call for help right away and involve obstetric personnel early. If there’s no return of spontaneous circulation within about four minutes, prepare for perimortem cesarean delivery to relieve the obstruction and improve outcomes for both mother and fetus. So the best approach is to provide CPR and ALS as you would for any trauma patient, with these pregnancy‑related adjustments, rather than doing nothing, delaying CPR, or rushing to cesarean before resuscitation.