Major trauma in pregnant women during the summer.

BACKGROUND

Pregnant women represent a major challenge in trauma care because of the risks to both mother and child and because of the difficulties in following standard protocols.

METHODS

We analyzed data for all pregnant women admitted to the hospital in Canada over 7 years to test whether major trauma still clustered in the summer despite their aversion toward alcohol, recklessness, and extreme sports.

RESULTS

A total of 2,618 pregnant women sustained major trauma. The prevalence of pregnancy was marginally lower in summer than in winter (decrease, 3%; 95% confidence interval, 2-4%), whereas the incidence of major trauma in pregnant women was significantly higher in summer than in winter (increase, 12%; 95% confidence interval, 3-21%; p = 0.005). No evidence of offsetting decreases in severity appeared in analyses of length of stay, number of surgical procedures, or mortality.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that normal lifestyle choices contribute to an increased risk of major trauma during pregnancy and merit greater awareness throughout the year.