Trauma in pregnancy and its consequences in Kermanshah, Iran from 2007 to 2010

Nowadays, with decreased mortality of pregnant women by obstetrical causes, trauma has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in pregnant women. This study was carried out to determine the frequency of trauma in pregnancy and related causes and selected consequences in pregnant women of Kermanshah, Iran from 2007 to 2010.

In this descriptive-analytical study, all pregnant women who suffered trauma and were admitted to Imam Reza, Taleghani, and Motazedi hospitals located in Kermanshah from 2007-2010 were studied. Sampling was done by census method and medical records of all eligible patients were studied. Data analysis was done by the SPSS software for Windows 9ver. 16.0).

There were 102 cases of trauma in pregnancy registered in this time period. Mean age of the cases was 26 years. Most cases (43%) were in their third trimester of pregnancy upon admission. Most trauma cases were of blunt traumas (68%). In 68 cases (66.67%), trauma resulted in maternal injury (independent of pregnancy) and 13 cases (12.75%) resulted in obstetrical or fetal injuries. Maternal injuries showed significant difference (P= 0.02) in different years. Motor vehicle accidents with a frequency of 47% were the most common cause of trauma.

Trauma in pregnancy can be a leading cause of injury and fatality in mother and fetus. The most common type of injury was motor vehicle accidents. Therefore, any strategy that can decrease the rate of motor vehicle accident in a community can decrease mortalities of women (even pregnant or non-pregnant).