Traumatic Brain Injury and Pregnancy

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability throughout the world, particularly among young adults, affecting untold numbers of women of childbearing age. TBIs can disrupt almost any aspect of physical, cognitive, and/or emotional functioning, potentially complicating a woman’s ability to conceive, carry, and deliver a healthy child. For women who are already pregnant and sustain a TBI, medical stabilization of the mother and management of risk of further injury to the fetus are priorities. For women with a previous history of TBI, comprehensive assessment and optimal management of common sequelae of TBI (eg, seizures, endocrine dysfunction, physical and cognitive impairments, and neuropsychiatric symptoms) are essential to maximizing outcomes for both mother and child. Consultation with physiatry and neuropsychology, utilization of rehabilitation therapies to maximize the mother’s functional recovery, and consistent communication among all medical team members throughout pregnancy are essential.