(A69) Epidemiological Study of Trauma in Pregnancy: An Emergency Department-Based Study of a Level-1 Trauma Center

Abstract

BackgroundTrauma during pregnancy poses a challenge in assessment and management due to its unique anatomical and physiological changes. Trauma is the leading non-obstetrical cause of death. There is paucity of epidemiological data in this subgroup in India. An emergency department (ED)-based epidemiological study was conducted.MethodsFemale trauma victims of reproductive age with both positive and negative urinary pregnancy tests (UPTs) were selected retrospectively. Documentation was done by the nursing staff from the ED case records. Mode, mechanism, severity, site of injury, and ED disposal time were noted, compiled, and analyzed.ResultsOf 64 patients, 32 patients were UPT-positive and 32 were UPT-negative. The mean age was 26 (range 18–36) years. A total of 75% of UPT-positive and 59.3% of UPT-negative cases had assault due to domestic violence. As per START triage protocol, 84.3% of UPT-positive and 59.3% patients in UPT negative were triaged as yellow. Blunt trauma to the abdomen was the most common mechanism and site of injury in all patients. FAST and ultrasonic evaluation of the fetus was performed for all UPT-positive patients. The average ED disposal time was 2 hours 62 minutes in UPT-positive and 1.9 hours in UPT-negative.ConclusionsLimited data suggest domestic violence as leading cause of trauma in pregnancy. A large, epidemiological study is required to validate this.