Transient alteration in fetal biophysical profile immediately following fetomaternal hemorrhage sustained during motor vehicle accident.

Transient altered fetal behavior manifested by decreased fetal biophysical score at 37 weeks' gestation following maternal injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, represented an immediate fetal response to fetomaternal hemorrhage occurring during the accident. Although cesarean delivery had initially been considered due to fetal distress (fetal biophysical score of 4 of 10), the fetal biophysical score improved within 2 hr, permitting spontaneous vaginal delivery of a nonasphyxiated fetus, 24 hr after the traumatic event. To our knowledge this is the first report of a transient abnormal fetal biophysical profile in association with a large fetomaternal hemorrhage.