Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare (Jun 2024)

The medically complex pregnant patient

  • Shalini Sri Kumaran,
  • Chee Chin Phang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/20101058241262870
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 33

Abstract

Read online

In our contemporary society, where medical advancements occur daily, many women with complex medical conditions are becoming pregnant and successfully carrying pregnancies to term. We report a case of a complicated, unplanned pregnancy in a newly initiated haemodialysis patient. The patient presented with breathlessness and was discovered to be 13 weeks pregnant while also being diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary embolisms. Unfortunately, she later developed pregnancy-induced complications that required her to remain hospitalised throughout her entire pregnancy. This case illustrates the complex care needed to manage a pregnant woman with multiple co-morbidities. It emphasises the importance of pre-pregnancy counselling and optimizing care among women of childbearing age who have complex medical backgrounds. Such awareness is crucial for both physicians and obstetricians.