Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used with increasing frequency to support obstetric patients with severe cardiac or pulmonary failure. Particularly, ECMO is required for successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cases of obstetric emergencies with unexpected refractory shock, which is most likely the only option to save the life of those patients. Here the authors present four cases who were treated with ECMO for cardiorespiratory support in obstetric emergencies with unexpected refractory shock. In conclusion, ECMO could be a valuable means of bridging therapy to save the life of a patient with obstetric emergencies who develops cardiopulmonary collapse.