Maternal loss due to DIC

[SchiwartRN]

I read on the forum from time to time, but have rarely posted. However, I had to write today just to talk about a situation that happened recently. For the first time in nearly 30 years at our facility, we had a maternal death. I was one of the nurses caring for this mother as she came in by ambulance and we had to do a Class I section to save the baby and attempt to save the mother. The end result was that the mother had placenta accreta into her previous c-section scar and most likely an abruption. She came in bleeding profusely and I was fearful for the baby. I held this mothers hand as I searched for fetal heart tones and saw the relief on her face as they come loud and clear on the monitor. The baby was healthy and thriving but the mother went into DIC and was transferred to ICU after 4 units of blood in the OR...14+ units of blood, 4 units of plasma, hemabate, methergine and pit could not stop the course of the DIC and we lost her. It has been one of the most heartwrenching events in my time as a nurse. How do you get over such a tragic circumstance...my heart aches for this family and this child, as well as all her other siblings.

[agachanja]

How sad...my heart goes out to the family. Glad you were provided with debriefing and conseling. We lost a mother to DIC a couple of yrs ago and I still remember the details of that code vividly. It was literaly a bloody mess.

Hugs to you and your colleagues. May the peace of the Lord be with you!

[tulsanurse1]

Wow, this is heart wrenching. I am so sorry for the family, the staff, and yourself. I used to do some mother/baby and mom's would occasionally come to us fine one minute and then bleeding profusely the next minute. Those are times when I can actually say I am nervous and pray while I provide interventions. God bless this family and all who worked to save this mother's life.

[resumecpr]

I feel so sad for the entire family (if only they had stopped at six).

Hugs to you.

Not sure what to think about the above......

Either way. I applaud the OP for her efforts and the courage to talk about her experience.

[denicu]

I read on the forum from time to time, but have rarely posted. However, I had to write today just to talk about a situation that happened recently. For the first time in nearly 30 years at our facility, we had a maternal death. I was one of the nurses caring for this mother as she came in by ambulance and we had to do a Class I section to save the baby and attempt to save the mother. The end result was that the mother had placenta accreta into her previous c-section scar and most likely an abruption. She came in bleeding profusely and I was fearful for the baby. I held this mothers hand as I searched for fetal heart tones and saw the relief on her face as they come loud and clear on the monitor. The baby was healthy and thriving but the mother went into DIC and was transferred to ICU after 4 units of blood in the OR...14+ units of blood, 4 units of plasma, hemabate, methergine and pit could not stop the course of the DIC and we lost her. It has been one of the most heartwrenching events in my time as a nurse. How do you get over such a tragic circumstance...my heart aches for this family and this child, as well as all her other siblings.

I just heard about a similar situation of a fellow nurse death as a result of DIC. She delivered her 2nd child and tragically lost her life. I actually met her on this website (NICU) several yrs ago and communicated thru text and emails and I was 1 of her friends on facebook. I never met her in person but I could tell she was a beautiful person inside as well as outside. A special condolence to all the families.

[SchiwartRN]

I may be misunderstanding what you're saying, but I always thought the priority was mother first, baby second. She didn't develop DIC until after the section, so the procedure was done for suspected abruption. That is to save the mother, and saving the baby's life is a perk.

Whatever...so it was worded incorrectly..does it really matter? It still amazes me how people can be nitpicky on forums over seemingly unimportant verbiage.