Cardiac tamponade presenting as obstructive shock in the first trimester pregnancy – a case report

Cardiac tamponade is a critical emergency that needs to be recognized and treated without delay. There is a significant knowledge gap regarding cardiac tamponade in early pregnancy, with no reported cases or guidelines on its evaluation and management. The impact of hemodynamic instability on maternal and fetal outcomes remains unclear. We present a case of 24-year-old gravida 2 para 1 living 1 (G2P1L1) antenatal mother with no prior co-morbidities who developed sudden cardiovascular collapse secondary to cardiac tamponade caused by massive pericardial effusion. The patient did not survive despite timely aggressive resuscitative efforts, owing to refractory shock from severe myopericarditis probably viral origin. This case highlights the importance of early point – of – care ultrasound (POCUS) evaluation of pregnant female presenting with unexplained hemodynamic instability and provides critical information on the safety and efficacy of pericardiocentesis in this unique clinical scenario.