Acute respiratory distress syndrome in pregnancy.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a serious sequelae of many serious illnesses during pregnancy. An understanding of acute respiratory distress syndrome is central to the proper care of a patient with the disorder. Acute respiratory distress syndrome results in diminished pulmonary compliance and respiratory shunt mediated hypoxemia. Furthermore, the initial pulmonary injury in acute respiratory distress syndrome may be further worsened by therapeutic hyperoxia and barotrauma. Limitation of peak-plateau airway pressure to less than 35 to 40 cm H2O may reduce barotrauma. Inflammatory mediator therapy may hold future promise in attenuation of lung injury induced by acute respiratory distress syndrome. Aggressive care may help those pregnant patients afflicted with acute respiratory distress syndrome.