Trauma in pregnancy: anatomical and physiological considerations

Abstract

Management of a pregnant trauma victim is a relatively rare but stressful event, not least due to the need to consider two patients. Initial management by a trauma team should follow a structured approach applicable to all trauma patients, combined with knowledge of the specific problems encountered in pregnancy. This review outlines important anatomical and physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and their relevance to initial assessment and treatment. It discusses the epidemiology of trauma in pregnancy, the presentation and manage ment of specific problems and the methods of fetal assessment.