Managing Respiratory Failure in Late Pregnancy.

Background/

Objectives

Respiratory failure in late pregnancy represents a complex and high-risk clinical scenario due to physiological adaptations during pregnancy that reduce maternal respiratory reserve, with tightly coupled maternal and foetal outcomes. This review aims to synthesise current evidence on epidemiology, maternal-foetal physiology, and management strategies for respiratory failure in late gestation.

Methods

This narrative review integrates contemporary literature, national surveillance data, physiological principles, and expert consensus to summarise the causes, clinical implications, and management of respiratory failure in pregnancy.

Results

Respiratory failure in pregnancy arises from diverse obstetric and non-obstetric conditions, including pneumonia, asthma, pulmonary embolism, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, and ARDS. Maternal hypoxaemia is strongly associated with foetal compromise. Management requires pregnancy-specific ventilatory targets, avoidance of permissive hypercapnia, cautious use of non-invasive and invasive ventilation, and safe implementation of prone or semi-prone positioning. ECMO use has expanded, with maternal survival improving to approximately 75%, although optimal anticoagulation and timing of delivery remain uncertain.

Conclusions

Effective management of respiratory failure in late pregnancy requires early recognition, multidisciplinary coordination, and adaptation of respiratory support to maternal-foetal physiology. Despite improvements in critical care and ECMO outcomes, key evidence gaps persist, underscoring the need for integrated maternal critical care pathways and further research to optimise outcomes for both mother and baby.