Postmortem Caesarean Section with a Live Baby in a Rural Hospital Setting in North-Eastern Nigeria: Case Report

Abstract

Postmortem caesarean section is a rare procedure in the practice of obstetrics, due to the associated ethical, cultural, and religious concerns. The case reported here was a 28-year-old grand multipara at about 36 weeks of gestation who presented with acute cardiopulmonary failure. A postmortem caesarean section was performed within fifteen minutes following diagnosis of maternal death, and a live foetus was delivered with a good outcome. It is possible to salvage a foetus following maternal cardiopulmonary arrest. So, obstetricians should consider a post-mortem caesarean delivery in a case of acute cardiopulmonary failure in the third trimester.

In conclusion, there is a need for Physicians in urban and rural settings to acquire these skills to enable the salvage of foetuses in mothers who have just died. 

Keywords:

Postmortem, Cardiopulmonary arrest, Caesarean Section, Rural, Nigeria

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