ACOG Committee Opinion Calls for Obstetric Emergency Preparedness

An obstetrician should be appointed to direct disaster planning for maternity services in any practice or facility that offers such services, according to an American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) committee opinion published in the March 2013 Obstetrics & Gynecology. Although most hospitals have standing emergency preparedness committees, ACOG notes that maternity services have unique features that bring a higher risk of morbidity and mortality; in particular, pregnant patients affected by a disaster may be at higher risk for preterm birth.