Application of Noninvasive Ventilation in the ObstetricalPatient

Acute respiratory failure in pregnancy is considered a common indication for ICU admissions in the obstetrical population. NIV (i.e., NIPPV and HFNC), although controversial, have been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of acute respiratory failure and can help prevent invasive mechanical ventilation during pregnancy in a variety of scenarios. However, evidence is limited with mainly case reports and case series reported in the literature, NIV modalities have similar indications and contraindications in the pregnant patient as the general population. Methodology: Case reports, prospective RCTs, and meta-analysis involving adult patients with the application of NIPPV as a support strategy for obstetric patients with acute respiratory failure were reviewed. To increase the sensitivity of the search, a combination of terms was utilized such as “high flow nasal canula” with “noninvasive ventilation” and “pregnancy” or “obstetrics” and “acute respiratory failure” or “Acute hypoxic respiratory failure” or “Acute hypercapnic respiratory failure” as keywords. Three electronic databases were searched (Google Scholar, PubMed, and Cochrane Library) from 2017 to 2019. Abstracts and full text publications were screened to fit the search criteria.