Fetal deaths and maternal injury in motor-vehicle crashes using NASS-CDS and CISS field data

This study determined the risk for fetal death and maternal injury in the same sample of motor-vehicle crashes. The frequency and risk of serious injury (MAIS 3 + F) were also assessed by sex, pregnancy, seating position and crash type. The 2008–2015 NASS-CDS and 2017–2020 CISS are representative samples that were analyzed for the risk of fetal death and the risk of maternal injury grouped by MAIS 0–2, MAIS 3 + F and death (F) in 2000+ model year (MY) light vehicles. All electronic cases involving fetal mortality were reviewed for mechanism of injury. Separately, the 2000–2015 NASS-CDS and 2017–2020 CISS data was analyzed for the risk of serious injury for male, female and pregnant female occupants by seating position and crash type in 2000+ MY light vehicles. All calculations are made with weighted data. The significance of differences in risk was determined by the Rao-Scott chi-square test in SAS and z-test for differences in proportions. There were 2,467 ± 1,407 fetal deaths in light vehicle crashes from 2008–2015 and 2016–2020 with an annual occurrence of 206/yr. The risk for fetal death was 1.25% ± 0.74% of exposed pregnant females. There were 127 ± 67 deaths of pregnant females, or 11/yr in the same sample. The fatality risk was 0.065% ± 0.035%. The difference in proportions was statistically significant (z = 46.1, p Fetal deaths occurred 19.4-times more often than deaths of pregnant females in a 12-year sample of motor-vehicle crashes. The most common mechanism was a minor crash that resulted in a fetal death without serious injury to the pregnant female and involved side or oblique loading of the pregnant female.