Cesarean Delivery: Major Abdominal Surgery

Welcome back to The Critical Care Obstetrics Podcast with hosts Suzanne McMurtry Baird (Nursing Director) and Stephanie Martin (Medical Director) of Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics.

In this episode, we explore why cesarean delivery is not just another routine procedure—but truly a major abdominal surgery. While C-section is the most common surgical procedure performed in U.S. hospitals, its seriousness is often overlooked because of its frequency. We discuss:

• Why 1 in 3 births by cesarean should not normalize the risks
• The role of evidence-based practices: avoiding the first cesarean, neuraxial anesthesia, infection prevention, and family-centered care
• What makes it a major surgery: open abdomen, incision types, considerations in obese patients, and classical cesarean challenges
• Safety for mothers, babies, and support persons in the OR
• Common complications including VTE, infection and sepsis, blood loss, injury to other organs, and the rising risk of placenta accreta spectrum

We also highlight our new lecture in the Postpartum Course covering PACU care and Enhanced Recovery After Cesarean, including RN qualifications, complication management, and communication essentials.

🔗 Learn more about the Critical Care Obstetrics Academy and Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics at www.clinicalconceptsinob.com

Be sure to subscribe, share, and leave a review so more clinicians can join the conversation!

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

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Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

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In this episode of The Critical Care Obstetrics Podcast, Dr. Stephanie Martin sits down with Dr. Lexi Hill, an MFM specialist delivering high-risk pregnancy care via Telehealth to rural communities across the country.

They discuss:
✅ The realities of practicing MFM remotely
✅ Gaps in rural obstetric care
✅ What every clinician should know about managing high-risk pregnancies when specialists aren’t on site

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

• In this episode Stephanie and Suzanne discuss acute onset of anxiety in an OB patient. They will also talk about possible pathology of anxiety and the possibility as a warning sign of compromise.

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

In this episode, Julie, Suzanne, and Stephanie answer the listeners' questions regarding acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and Cardiomyopathy. These 2 diagnoses can appear with similar symptoms.

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

In this episode, Julie, Stephanie, and Suzanne answer the listeners question of how to differentiate between signs, symptoms, and diagnosis of an AFE v. a PE

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

Julie Arafeh and Dr. Stephanie Martin discuss 3 commonly encountered issues with communication during obstetric emergencies.

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

In this episode Stephanie talks with HeHe Stewart, a Birth Doula aiming to help women avoid birth trauma & prepare for a confident and informed hospital birth. She has her own podcast The Birth Lounge and an active social media presence educating women about all things birth related. We talk about what it takes to become a Doula and the role a Doula can play in high-risk or critical illness situation. She explains challenges she has faced while interacting with the medical team and how she handles them.

Find her here:

Childbirth Education: https://www.thebirthlounge.com

Doula Services: https://www.tranquilitybyhehe.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...

Julie, Stephanie and Suzanne address listener questions posted about hypertensive disorders. We address questions about treatment of refractory severe hypertension, medication protocols, use of magnesium and delivery timing questions.

The experts at Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics pool their decades of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women to discuss the challenges encountered in caring for these vulnerable women.

Dr Stephanie Martin is the Medical Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with expertise in critical care obstetrics.

Suzanne McMurtry Baird, DNP, RN is the Nursing Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics with many years of experience caring for critically ill pregnant women.

Julie Arafeh, RN, MS is the Simulation Director for Clinical Concepts in Obstetrics and a leading expert in simulation.

Critical Care Obstetrics Academy: https://www.clinicalconceptsinob.com/

Follow us:

Patreon: patreon.com/CCOB

YouTube: @CriticalCareOBPodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criticalcareob/

Dr Martin's LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephanie-martin-65b07112a

CCOB LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clinical-concepts-in-obstetrics/

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/OBCriticalCare

CCOB Facebook: ...