Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare and life threatening complication that may occur to mothers just before, during, or after delivering a baby. This period is known as peripartum.

A 2022 study including 14.6 million people who delivered a baby between 2016 and 2019 found that AFE occurred in 6 out of 100,000 deliveries.

Although rare, AFE is the second most common cause of peripartum maternal death and the leading cause of peripartum heart attack in the United States.

The survival rate for AFE may depend on several factors, such as early detection and whether you experience at least one comorbidity (another medical complication).

The authors of the 2022 study found that 17% of people who experienced AFE died soon after, which is known as the failure-to-rescue rate. In other words, the survival rate was 83%.

However, the failure-to-rescue (mortality) rate was higher if someone experienced at least one comorbidity with AFE:

Symptoms and signs of AFE typically occur suddenly and without warning. These may include:

The authors of the 2022 study found a wide range of preexisting, pregnancy, and delivery risk factors associated with AFE. These include:

There are currently no official guidelines for managing AFE, but it requires immediate medical attention to prevent complications like death.

The first step is to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the mother.

Then, the healthcare team will focus on managing any complications and ensuring vitals like breathing, blood pressure, and fluid levels are managed. This may include:

Once these are managed, the healthcare team will focus on delivering the baby to help improve the chances of survival for both the mother and the baby.