Where should your hands be placed when performing CPR on a 3rd trimester pregnant woman?

When performing CPR on a third-trimester pregnant woman, it is crucial to position your hands higher up on the chest. This adjustment helps accommodate the physical changes and anatomical positioning caused by the pregnancy. Placing your hands higher ensures that compressions are more effective on the heart and minimizes the risk of compressing the uterus.

During a third-trimester pregnancy, the uterus pushes upward against the diaphragm and may alter the typical landmarks used for chest compressions. Thus, compressions need to be aimed effectively at the heart without compression of the abdomen, which could put stress on the fetus. Proper hand placement is especially critical, as it maximizes the likelihood of maintaining circulation while also being mindful of the pregnant woman’s condition.

Moreover, properly positioning the hands can also facilitate better movement and reduction of pressure on the major blood vessels located in the abdomen, reducing the risk of supine hypotensive syndrome, which can occur when the pregnant woman is laid flat. Thus, hand placement higher on the chest contributes both to the efficacy of CPR and to the safety of both the mother and the fetus.