Evaluating the Outcomes of Trauma among Pregnant Women Referring to Educational Hospitals of Kerman during 2003-2009

Trauma is one of the main causes of mortality in young women, fetus and neonate throughout the world and is the main cause of non obstetrical death during pregnancy as well; the prevalence is 6%-8% during pregnancy. With an increase in the rate of blunt and penetrating traumas, the occurrence of such events has increased in pregnancy. With regard to the prevalence and importance of trauma and contradictions existing in the field of causes and complications. This study was done to determine the outcomes of trauma in pregnant women referring to Kerman educational hospitals.

In this cross-sectional study, the computerized patients’ records at Kerman educational hospital were used and a list was prepared. This list included all pregnant women suffering trauma from 2003 until 2009. They were studied based on the clinical examinations done according to individual properties of the traumas, the region of trauma and maternal and fetal complications. The above causes were determined and approved. The study was reported in the form of descriptive statistics and frequency distribution tables.

In this study 80 women who hospitalized because of trauma were evaluated. The mean age of the pregnant women was 26.6 years. From the point of view of gestational age (66.6%) women between 20-36 weeks. The average of gestational age was 26 weeks. Statistically, there is a meaningful relationship between maternal and fetal complications and gestational age (p<0.05). Type of trauma in 77 women (96.7%) was blunt and the cause of trauma in (61.7%) was driving accidents. All who suffered In addition, the region of injury in all these people was abdomen and there is a meaningful relationship between maternal and fetal complications and location of injury(p<0.05). 17 women (21.25%) suffered from maternal complications due to blunt trauma. The most complication was preterm labor (32.5%). With regard to the fetal and maternal complications, fetal heart deceleration in 3 cases (37.5%), was the major cause that lead to cesarean section.

Trauma in pregnancy is a challenge in emergency wards and it is one of the most frequent causes of maternal death as well.. In addition, because of the anatomic changes in pregnant women, pregnancy management is difficult, so with regard to the above mentioned points and in order to decrease the complications of trauma, women protection against trauma and injuries is highly recommended.