Vehicular Accidents and Pregnancy

Abstract

Summary: A survey of 8 fatal and 31 non‐fatal traffic injuries in pregnant women is presented. The ability of women to withstand trauma is not greatly influenced by pregnancy, but the hypertrophied and distended pelvic blood vessels are more vulnerable to injury because of the commonness of fractured pelvis and violent movement of the pregnant uterus. Despite the protuberance of the pregnant uterus, it resists most blunt external trauma and purely obstetric complications are rare. The foetus seems remarkably safe in its intact amniotic sac. Maternal hypotension and not direct trauma is the commonest cause of foetal death. Uncontrolled haemorrhage was the usual cause of death in this series. Some of these tragedies may well have been prevented by earlier laparotomy.