TY - JOUR
PY - 2020//
TI - The unborn fetus: the unrecognized victim of trauma during pregnancy
JO - Journal of pediatric surgery
A1 - Mulder, Michelle B.
A1 - Quiroz, Hallie J.
A1 - Yang, Wendy J.
A1 - Lasko, Davis S.
A1 - Perez, Eduardo A.
A1 - Proctor, Kenneth G.
A1 - Sola, Juan E.
A1 - Thorson, Chad M.
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - BACKGROUND: Trauma is the leading cause of non-obstetric death in pregnancy. While maternal management is defined, few studies have examined the effects on the fetus.
METHODS: Following IRB approval, all pregnant females (2010-2017) at a level-1 trauma center were retrospectively reviewed. Maternal and fetal demographics, interventions, and clinical outcomes were analyzed.
RESULTS: There were 188 pregnancies in 5654 females. Maternal demographics were 26 ± 7 years old, gestational age at trauma 21 ± 12 weeks, 81% blunt mechanism, and maternal mortality 6%. Forty-one (22%) fetuses were immediately affected by the trauma including 20 (11%) born alive, 12 (7%) fetal demise, and 9 (5%) stillbirths. Of those that initially survived (n = 20), 5 (25%) expired during neonatal hospitalization. Two mothers returned immediately after trauma discharge with stillbirths for an overall infant mortality of 14% (n = 26). There were 84 patients with complete data to delivery including the 41 born at trauma and 43 born on a subsequent hospitalization. Those born at the time of trauma had significantly more delivery/neonatal complications and worse outcomes. Overall trauma burden to the fetus (preterm delivery, stillbirth, delivery/neonatal complication, or long-term disability) was 66% (56/84).
CONCLUSIONS: Trauma during pregnancy has significant immediate mortality and delayed effects on the unborn fetus. This study has uncovered a previously hidden burden and mortality of trauma during pregnancy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Language: en
LA - en
SN - 0022-3468
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2020.01.047
ID - ref1
ER -