Trauma

Introduction, Trauma is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide, with the majority resulting from motor vehicle or road traffic accidents. Effective care for pregnant trauma patients requires not only a thorough understanding of general trauma principles but also knowledge of alterations of maternal physiology during pregnancy and the interplay between maternal and fetal interests. The basic principle in caring for the pregnant trauma patient is “what is good for the mother is good for the baby.” Fetal status can reflect the cardiovascular state of the mother, as fetal distress may be a sign of maternal hypovolemia. The best results for resuscitation will be achieved by the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) approach of airway, breathing, and circulation, plus disability and exposure (ABC-DE), with the early involvement of other specialties (e.g. anesthesia, acute care surgery, and, where needed, other surgical subspecialists such as orthopedists or neurosurgeons) in addition to emergency medicine physicians and obstetricians. The optimal outcome is most likely to be achieved through an algorithm-based care plan that is well coordinated between multiple disciplines.