ABSTRACT
Traumatic injuries in pregnancy are a major cause of
nonobstetrics maternal and neonatal morbidity and
mortality.17 About 40 years ago,5,8 it was estimated that
68% of pregnant women were affected by accidental injury. This number is likely to be greater now because more active
lifestyles led by pregnant women in today’s society may put
them at increased risk of injury.3 When a pregnant woman
presents with a major trauma, two lives are at risk. The
survival of the fetus depends primarily on maternal survival9
but occasionally the extent of maternal injury does not
correlate with the degree of fetal injury.1,10,11
Treatment priorities for traumatic pregnant women
remain the same as in patients who are not pregnant,
although resuscitation and stabilization should be modified
to account for the anatomical and physiological changes of
the pregnancy.12,13 The first consideration in the manage-
ment of maternal trauma in an accident is to ensure the
survival of the mother, as is recommended by the Advanced
Trauma Life Support Program.12
