Placental abruption and fetal intraventricular hemorrhage after airbag deployment: a case report

There has been very limited documentation of the adverse maternal and/or fetal consequences of airbag deployment in association with motor vehicle accidents.

A 20-year-old woman, gravida 1, para 0, at 31+ 4 weeks' gestation, was involved in a motor vehicle accident. The car had been hit from the passenger side at an estimated speed of 45 miles per hour. The vehicle was noted to have rolled over, along with deployment of the driver's side and passenger's airbags. Via star low transverse cesarean, the patient was delivered of a very pale-appearing, 1,890g infant with Apgars of 1 and 7 at 1 and 5 minutes of life, respectively. There was an approximate 50% abruption noted on placental evaluation, as well as a 2 x 3-cm area ofecchymosis at the uterinefundus. The neonate's immediate postdelivery hematocrit was 17%. A cranial ultrasound was notable for a grade III germinal matrix hemorrhage with progressive hydrocephalus. Serial ultrasounds showed interval increases in the amount of clots within the lateral ventricles.

Airbag deployment can be associated with placental abruption and fetal intracranial hemorrhage.