Immaculate conception in trauma: The importance of history, physical examination and bedside investigations in detecting pregnancy
Detection of early pregnancy in an injured patient remains a constant diagnostic challenge to emergency care providers (ECP) as history taking and physical examination may be insufficient for diagnosis. An emergency care provider working in a busy emergency department can easily miss the diagnosis...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/5281/1/FH02-FP-17-08727.jpg http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/5281/2/FH02-FP-17-08726.pdf http://eprints.unisza.edu.my/5281/ |
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| Summary: | Detection of early pregnancy in an injured patient remains a constant diagnostic challenge to
emergency care providers (ECP) as history taking and physical examination may be insufficient for diagnosis.
An emergency care provider working in a busy emergency department can easily miss the diagnosis of
pregnancy, resulting in exposure of the fetus to radiation that may be detrimental. Early detection of pregnancy
will allow ECP to take necessary steps to minimise the radiation exposure to both the mother and fetus in the
course of managing the injured patient. Management of this group of patient will be more challenging if it
involves teenage pregnancies, which has social considerations and medico-legal consequences. It is vital to
properly assess all injured women of child bearing age in the emergency department (ED) to detect pregnancy
as it will affect their management. A proper menstrual history and abdominal examination combined with
bedside investigations are pertinent and important before imaging is performed. |
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