ABSTRACT

The aim of thisstudy is to investigate and analyse pregnant women who were admitted to our intensive care unit due to acute poisoning.

All cases were retrospectively collected from our computer records between 10.01.2009 and 10.01.2013; the registration data on age, gestational age, whether the poisoning was deliberate or accidental, causative agent, hospital stay time, education level, Glasgow coma score, use of mechanical ventilation, number of cases per month and mortality outcome were collected and analyzed.

Twenty women admitted with acute poisoning followed in intensive care were known to be pregnant and the poisoning was accidental in 30% of the cases, while 70% were suicidal intoxications. Accidental intoxications were due to carbon monoxide and scorpions sting. 64.2% of the suicidal poisonings were caused by medical drugs, with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, psychiatric drugs and antibiotics being the top culprits and accounted for 44.4%, 33.3% and 22.3% of drug poisonings respectively. 80% of patients were in the 21-34 age groups. In terms of gestational age, 50% of suicidal poisonings were within the second trimester. Mean GCS of patients were 12.8±2.52. Cases were seen particulary in summer and winter. In this study, cases of death have been found.

Most cases of acute poisonings during pregnancy were suicidal. Pregnant women attempted suicide mostly within the second trimester of gestation. The most common agents used for suicidal attempt were medical drugs. Our epidemiologic results on this study similar to the literature. Scorpion bites and agricultural materials should be kept in mind in differential diagnosis in our geographic area.

Keywords: Poisoning, pregnancy, Intensive Care Units