Trimeresurus stejnegeri Envenoming during Pregnancy

Snake envenoming in pregnancy may cause fetal death and maternal mortality or morbidity. However little is known about the toxic effects and optimal management of snake envenoming because of the rarity of cases. We report three cases in Taiwan in the past 15 years of pregnant women who were treated successfully after being bitten by Trimeresurus stejnegeri with local envenoming. Two of the three patients received treatment with equine-derived hemotoxic bivalent F(ab)/2 antivenom without development of any adverse effects. All three women recovered uneventfully and subsequently had normal deliveries. Telephone follow-up of the three children 6-10 years later showed no developmental delay of the children. (authors)