Methods:​ Rates and causes of traumatic injury-related fetal deaths in Pennsylvania were determined from a manual review of fetal death certificates filed from 1995–1997 (7,131 cases).

Results:​ 31 traumatic injury cases were identified (6.5 per 100,000 live births). Most cases (94%) could be identified from the diagnosis code of 760.5 (maternal injury) and 87% contained narratives indicating specific injury mechanisms. Motor vehicles were the leading cause of injury (81%). Placental separation was the leading diagnosis (42%).

Conclusions:​ The ICD-9-CM code 760.5 appears to be a specific indicator of traumatic fetal death, though it is not known how sensitive an indicator it is. Though not E-coded, the death certificates contained enough information to allow ascertainment of injury mechanism. Motor vehicle crashes play a predominant role in reported fetal traumatic injury-related deaths.