Evaluation of Blunt Abdominal Trauma Occurring during Pregnancy

Trauma During Pregnancy: Outcomes and Clinical Management

“…[2][3][4] Complications associated with trauma include not only the more obvious, direct maternal consequences, but also unique pregnancy-related complications such as preterm labor and delivery, abruptio placentae, fetomaternal hemorrhage, the potential for attendant isoimmunization, direct fetal injury, and fetal demise. [5][6][7][8][9] Such outcomes, particularly abruptio placentae, may be seen even with apparently minor degrees of injury, and fetal death is a more common occurrence than maternal death. [10][11][12] Epidemiology The most common causes of trauma in pregnancy are motor vehicle accidents (49%), falls (25%), assaults (18%), guns (4%), and burns (1%).…”

Trauma in pregnancy – A brief review

“…All pregnant women more than 20 weeks should be monitored by cardiotopography for atleast 6 hours [1,[33][34][35][36][37]. Although a few earlier studies has recommended using monitoring upto 48 hours due to the late manifestation of abrupteo placentae [38,39]. There have been recommendations for all pregnant trauma patients of 23 weeks or more with the following, to be admitted for observation for 24 hours -uterine tenderness, significant abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, sustained contractions, rupture of the membranes, atypical or abnormal foetal heart rate pattern, high risk mechanism of injury, or serum fibrinogen <200 mg/dL.…”

Trauma in pregnancy

“…Further evaluation should be carried out if uterine contractions, a non-reassuring fetal heart rate pattern, vaginal bleeding, signiWcant uterine tenderness or irritability, serious maternal injury, or rupture of the amniotic membranes is present. The basis for these recommendations stems from the observation that abruptio placentae can occur up to 72 h post-injury including minor trauma [46,47]. Fetal outcome after 2-6 h of monitoring is in the absence of symptoms usually excellent.…”