Trauma in pregnancy

Abstract

Trauma is the leading non-obstetric cause of death during pregnancy and approximately 6-8% of all pregnancies are complicated by injury, both accidental and intentional. The initial evaluation and management of the injured pregnant patient often requires a multidisciplinary, collaborative team to provide the optimal outcome for both mother and fetus. It is important to recognize that even minor mechanisms of injury may result in poor outcomes for both fetus and mother. Injured pregnant patients meeting admission criteria experience a progressive increase in the number of complications as well as the number of patients that require delivery. There exists opportunity to identify patients who require admission and provide supportive measures that may reduce the complications of prematurity. Patients that are admitted may benefit from a multidisciplinary approach including on-going care from obstetricians or maternal-fetal medicine physicians. Placental abruption is the most common pregnancy complication, and may occur with even minor mechanisms of injury. Increasing severity of trauma increases the frequency of abruption, admission, delivery, and fetal demise.

Keywords: Abruption; Burns; Domestic violence; Emergency; Inhalation; Motor vehicle collision; Pregnancy; Trauma.