Maternal fatalities, fetal and neonatal deaths related to motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy: a national population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Firstly, determine the mortality rate for: pregnant women; fetuses and neonates, due to motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) during pregnancy; and secondly, the rate of major injuries among pregnant women and the rate of involvement of pregnant women in crashes.


METHODS
A national population-based, retrospective descriptive study.


METHODS
Sweden, 1991-2001. Population. All pregnant and non-pregnant women age 15-44.


METHODS
Linkage of national traffic, medical and autopsy registers.


METHODS
Maternal death or injury and corresponding fetal death. Results. MVCs during pregnancy caused 1.4 maternal fatalities per 100,000 pregnancies and a fetus/neonate mortality rate of least 3.7 per 100,000 pregnancies. The incidence of maternal major injury was 23/100,000 pregnancies and crash involvement was 207/100,000 pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
MVCs during pregnancy were a significant cause of maternal fatalities, fetal and neonatal deaths, responsible for almost 1/3 of all maternal deaths and fatalities, and caused nearly three times more fetal plus neonatal deaths than maternal fatalities.
Kvarnstrand
Laura
L
The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. laurakvarnstrand@hotmail.com
Milsom
Ian
I
Lekander
Thomas
T
Druid
Henrik
H
Jacobsson
Bo
B
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology