A retrospective study of 11 pregnant women with thermal injuries

Out of 917 burn victims admitted to the Burn Unit of Ankara Numune Hospital between 1986 and 1994, the records of 11 pregnant patients were scrutinized retrospectively. All patients were classified by using the rule of 9's. Two maternal deaths (18%) occurred in patients with burns involving more than 50% of the skin surface area and there were four fetal deaths (36%) which occurred less than 72 h after the burns. These findings support the views that maternal and perinatal outcome is related to the burn severity (surface area + depth), to the presence or absence of complications and to the gestational age of the fetus. In view of the high perinatal mortality, in any patient with extensive burns who is more than 32 weeks pregnant, the fetus should be delivered soon after admission.