Trauma in Pregnancy and Its Consequences in Kermanshah, Iran From 2007 to 2010

Abstract

Objective:Nowadays, with decreased mortality of pregnant women by obstetrical causes, trauma has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnant women. This study was carried out to determine the frequency of trauma in pregnancy and related causes and selected consequences in pregnant women of Kermanshah, Iran from 2007 to 2010.Methods:In this descriptive-analytical study, all pregnant women who suffered trauma and were admitted to Imam Reza, Taleghani, and Motazedi hospitals located in Kermanshah from 2007-2010 were studied. Sampling was done by census method and medical records of all eligible patients were studied. Data analysis was done by the SPSS software for Windows 9ver. 16.0).Results:There were 102 cases of trauma in pregnancy registered in this time period. Mean age of the cases was 26 years. Most cases (43%) were in their third trimester of pregnancy upon admission. Most trauma cases were of blunt traumas (68%). In 68 cases (66.67%), trauma resulted in maternal injury (independent of pregnancy) and 13 cases (12.75%) resulted in obstetrical or fetal injuries. Maternal injuries showed significant difference (P= 0.02) in different years. Motor vehicle accidents with a frequency of 47% were the most common cause of trauma.Conclusion:Trauma in pregnancy can be a leading cause of injury and fatality in mother and fetus. The most common type of injury was motor vehicle accidents. Therefore, any strategy that can decrease the rate of motor vehicle accident in a community can decrease mortalities of women (even pregnant or non-pregnant).

Does the minor trauma during pregnancy have any effect on perinatal outcome?

“…Due to the fact that the study center is a specialized obstetrics and gynecology hospital, injured patients after motor vehicle accidents are primarily admitted to the emergency departments of hospitals that include multiple disciplines, and this may have reflected to the current study results. However, the present study found increased rate of preterm delivery consistent with the current literature [8,18,19].…”

“…Although studies have demonstrated negative effect of minor trauma on the pregnancy outcomes [5,17], some studies reported no effect of minor trauma on pregnancy outcomes [15]. In the present study, home accidents and domestic violence, as being the causes of minor trauma, were more common in contrast to the findings of the studies in the literature [8,18,19]. Due to the fact that the study center is a specialized obstetrics and gynecology hospital, injured patients after motor vehicle accidents are primarily admitted to the emergency departments of hospitals that include multiple disciplines, and this may have reflected to the current study results.…”

Outcomes of Trauma during Pregnancy in Hail City - Saudi Arabia

“…Falling may cause traumatic placental injury can result in Maternal-fetal Hemorrhage (MFH) that occurs in 10% to 30% of pregnant trauma patients [18]. Regarding to different causes of trauma in pregnancy, study conducted by Zangene and others [19], showed the most common causes of maternal and fetal injuries were motor vehicle accidents, falling, fighting with husband and maternal stab wound and other traumas (insect bite, explosion, and pollution), and these findings agree with results of the current study.…”

Exposure to Information and Seat Belt Use among Pregnant Women:

“…Motor vehicle accidents have been the leading cause of traumatic fetal injury [1][2][3] and previous studies exploring traffic accidents have reported such accidents as the most common cause of trauma during pregnancy (47 ─ 70.4% of the total incidents of trauma in pregnant women). [4][5][6][7] Pregnant women in motor vehicle accidents have a higher risk of preterm labor, placental abruption, and cesarean delivery, and infants born to women injured during pregnancy have a higher risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and subsequent cerebral palsy. 1,5,8,9 Previous reports conclude that the use of seat belts is an effective tool to protect both pregnant women and their unborn babies.…”