Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pregnancy: does foetal viability matter?

With the increasing use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for adults with acute hypoxic respiratory failure, the indications for its use have expanded. We wanted to share the results of a recent case from our institution, of a woman who experienced respiratory failure secondary to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). HG is a rare complication of pregnancy (0.3% to 2.0% of pregnancies), resulting in uncontrolled or excessive nausea and vomiting with dehydration and weight loss, typically in the first to mid second trimester, and is a diagnosis of exclusion.