Women's Heath in Critical Care encompasses not only the many medical emergencies encountered when caring for a female patient but also the challenges and triumphs as women working in the medical field.
The first articles addresses "Mental Health in Women," a topic important not only for patient care but also for the health care worker themselves, as they are more likely to experience mental health issues. Barker et al elaborate on different mental health problems, their common clinical presentation, management strategies, and the mental health impact on critical illness survivors.
The subsequent article, "Navigating a Career in Medicine as a Woman," examines the challenges women face regarding gender equality in career advancement. Ghosh and others outline strategies for individuals and organizations to overcome these barriers and achieve a good work-life balance for women in medicine.
In the United States, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for women and it is often unrecognized. Ivanona and others in their article, "Common Cardiovascular Disease in Women," discuss the epidemiology/etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic assessment, management, and prognosis of some common cardiovascular disorders seen in women, with a special focus on pregnancy.
Ivanova and others discuss "Hypertension in Women" and the long-term cardiovascular effects. This article details the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of essential hypertension in women and also examines gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia.
Barker et al review "Fetal and Maternal Monitoring" in the subsequent article. Fetal monitoring in the intrapartum and peripartum periods is important for the well-being of both the baby and the mother. Fetal heart tracings are explored and the intrauterine resuscitative efforts that can be performed are described. The maternal assessment, which begins early in gestation, is also discussed, which is key to prevent complications to the mother and the fetus.
Trauma in pregnancy presents a unique challenge as 2 patients are at risk for complications, both of whom require evaluation and management. Arshad and others discuss the epidemiology, etiology, assessment, diagnosis, and management of trauma in pregnancy.
Alhajhusain and others provide a comprehensive overview of common medical emergencies that occur in pregnant patients. The clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment options of various medical crises that can occur in pregnant women are discussed.
In their article, "Infectious Disease Specific to Women," Bhanot and others investigate the risk factors, pathogenesis, complications, diagnosis, and treatment modalities associated with infections specific to women.
In the final article, DiSilvio and others present "Asthma in Pregnancy," discussing the unique challenges of treating a pregnant patient with asthma. This article explores the direct effects of the disease state on the pregnant woman and the fetus, the risk factors for poor control, and the current treatment recommendations.
Thank you to all the authors for their insightful contributions, and a special note of thanks to Sharon Mastele for coordinating this project. Finally, thank you to all the women who have helped pave the way for women in medicine; we would not be where we are today if it were not for you!
-Tiffany DuMont, DO, FCCP
Issue Editor