Neurocritical Care Perspective of Traumatic Brain Injury During Pregnancy

Abstract

Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality amongst females of childbearing age, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) carries a significant proportion of share amongst trauma of all kinds. Trauma during pregnancy has a twofold impact on the patient and the foetus, who, most of the time, remains unnoticed. Understanding and managing altered maternal physiology in the background of TBI is a challenge and requires close monitoring to avoid any unwanted outcome. The challenges initiate right from the resuscitation following trauma to the rehabilitation of these patients with TBI during pregnancy. Good collaboration with the interdisciplinary departments is the backbone to avoid teratogenicity, a better pregnancy outcome and prevention of expected complications in these complex clinical scenarios.