RT Book, Section
A1 Dooley-Hash, Suzanne
A1 Knoop, Kevin J.
A2 Knoop, Kevin J.
A2 Stack, Lawrence B.
A2 Storrow, Alan B.
A2 Thurman, R. Jason
SR Print(0)
ID 1181041739
T1 Third-Trimester Blunt Abdominal Trauma
T2 The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e
YR 2021
FD 2021
PB McGraw-Hill
PP New York, NY
SN 9781260134940
LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181041739
RD 2024/04/23
AB Trauma  is  a  major  cause  of  maternal  and  fetal  mortality.  In  addition  to  injuries  to  abdominal  organs  seen  in  nonpregnant  patients,  preterm  labor,  fetal-maternal  hemorrhage,  uterine  rupture,  and,  most  importantly,  abruptio  placentae  may  result  from  blunt  trauma  during  pregnancy.  Abruptio  placentae,  the  premature  separation  of  the  placenta  from  the  site  of  uterine  implantation,  is  found  in  up  to  50%  of  major  blunt  trauma  patients  and  up  to  5%  of  those  with  apparent  minor  injuries.  Signs  of  uterine  hyperactivity  and  fetal  distress  are  commonly  seen  when  significant  placental  detachment  occurs.  Most  patients  have  vaginal  bleeding,  but  up  to  20%  will  present  with  little  or  no  external  bleeding  when  the  margins  of  detachment  are  above  the  cervical  os.