Answer
This pregnant woman has lost both blood volume and oxygen -carrying- capacity of red blood cells(RBCs). Therefore, the best transfusion would be a product that makes good both deficits. The best candidate would be whole blood properly typed and cross-matched with the recipient's blood.
Work Step by Step
When a patient is bleeding and needs a transfusion there are several issuues to be considered. First what is the greatest need of the patient. Is it restoration of circulting volume or is it restoration of oxygen caarrrying capaccity or is it both. Circulatory vlolyme can be restored with normal electrolyte solution ( or just normal saline). This is a safe choice if it is not possible to do the necessary matching and cross-typing of donor blood and blood of prospective recipient. If restoration of oxgyen- carrying capacity is the most urgent need of the patient, then a packed cell trans- fusion should be given, after typing and cross-matching , of course . If,however, both oxygen carrying capacity and blood circulating volume need to be restored--as in this case-- then the patient should be transfused with whole blood after proper blood typing and cross matching.
