Survival of Pregnant Coronavirus Patient on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
A 27-year-old woman presented at 23 weeks’ 6 days’ gestation who tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Despite mechanical ventilation and paralysis, she remained hypoxic and was emergently cannulated for veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO). The patient ambulated while intubated and on VV-ECMO. She was decannulated and extubated. An ultrasound demonstrated an appropriately grown fetus without abnormalities. She was discharged to home and gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 39 weeks’ gestation. Using VV-ECMO, this patient and her fetus survived acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19.