Evaluating Minor Trauma During Pregnancy

Although trauma complicates 6% to 7% of all pregnancies, most is noncatastrophic. Management of minor trauma is based on approaches used for life-threatening injuries because of concerns regarding placental abruption and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. To assess the incidence of a composite adverse pregnancy outcome (defined as 1 or more of the following: placental abruption, delivery at <37 weeks’ gestation, or birth weight <10th percentile) and to evaluate six potential risk factors for such an outcome, investigators conducted a 3-year prospective study of 317 consecutive women presenting at a tertiary care facility with minor trauma at ≥24 weeks’ gestation. Women with life-threatening injuries were excluded. All women underwent a compl…