Snakebite envenomations (SBEs) in
pregnant women can result in adverse maternal or neonatal effects, such as
abortion,
placental abruption,
preterm labor,
fetal malformations, and maternal, fetal or
neonatal deaths. Despite the high
incidence of SBEs in the Brazilian
Amazon, there is no
literature on the impact of SBEs on
pregnancy outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe
clinical epidemiology and outcomes associated with SBEs in
women of childbearing age and
pregnant women in the
state of Amazonas, Western Brazilian
Amazon, from 2007 to 2021. Information on the
population was obtained from the
Reporting Information System (SINAN),
Mortality Information System (SIM) and
Live Birth Information System (SINASC) for the period from 2007 to 2021. A total of 36,786 SBEs were reported, of which 3,297 (9%) involved
women of childbearing age, and 274 (8.3%) involved
pregnant women. Severity (7.9% in pregnant versus 8.7% in non-
pregnant women) (P = 0.87) and case-fatality (0.4% in pregnant versus 0.3% in non-
pregnant women) rates were
similar between groups (P = 0.76).
Pregnant women who suffered
snakebites were at higher
risk for
fetal death (OR 2.17, 95%CI 1.74–2.67) and
neonatal death (OR = 2.79, 95%CI 2.26–3.40). This study had major limitations related to the completeness of the information on the
pregnancy outcomes. Although SBE
incidence in
pregnant women is low in the Brazilian
Amazon, SBEs increased the
risk of fetal and
neonatal deaths.