Basic Life Support in Obstetrics  courses are offered throughout the year in a variety of locations by the AAFP as well as approved course sponsors.

Basic Life Support in Obstetrics (BLSO) is designed to equip first responders and students with the skills needed to assist in normal and emergency obstetric situations.

The BLSO curriculum is designed to train:

• Pre-hospital care providers
• First responders and emergency personnel
• Medical, nursing, and physician assistant students

A one-day course adapted from the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) program, BLSO offers evidence-based, hands-on workshops with mnemonics and case-based discussions that can play an important role in promoting teamwork. Pre-hospital resuscitation, communication in transit and transition to hospital care can be improved when pre-hospital and hospital providers share a conceptual framework.

1. Improving the management of normal deliveries and obstetrical emergencies by standardizing the skills of pre-hospital care providers; emergency department (ED) personnel; and medical, nursing, and physician assistant students.
2. Facilitate productive, collegial interactions among students interested in maternity care, first responders, and maternity care providers.
3. Assist in establishing and maintaining high standards of education and training for pre-hospital care providers; ED personnel; and medical, nursing, and physician assistant students.
4. Promote teamwork and patient safety  to improve the quality of maternity care provided by pre-hospital care providers; ED personnel; and medical, nursing, and physician assistant students.

Normal Labor

• Introduction to normal labor
• View video of normal labor
• Practice normal delivery with mannequins

Emergent Prenatal Assessment

• Minilecture
• Practice taking history, maternal exam and listening to fetal heart with a Doppler stethoscope or fetoscope