Surgery, gynecology & obstetrics
-
Thermal injury sustained during pregnancy presents special management problems for both the gravid woman and her unborn child. Of 6,573 admissions to this burn center during the period of 1950 through 1982, 1,157 (17.6 per cent) were female and 448 (6.8 per cent) were of reproductive age. Thirty of this latter group (6.7 per cent) of burned patients were pregnant at the time of injury. ⋯ If the injury of the gravid patient is lethal, the pregnancy will usually terminate spontaneously prior to her death. Obstetric support and aggressive fetal monitoring is recommended for all moderately and severely burned pregnant patients. Obstetric intervention may be considered in the ill patient with a near term fetus in whom significant complications (such as, hypotension, hypoxemia or sepsis) jeopardize the life of the fetus.