Research shows that unbelted pregnant women are more than three times likely to lose their baby in a crash, and two times as likely to have excessive maternal bleeding. Even in a minor accident, where injuries are not as severe, you still have a five percent chance of losing your baby if unrestrained.
A study from the University of Michigan estimates that proper seatbelt use by pregnant women would save foetuses each year. There are medical complications that can occur to the mother as well as the baby. Some mothers are also more likely to experience complications from blood clots, fractures, and internal injuries if involved in a crash while unrestrained. Researchers have also found that a mother's uterus and bladder are not as protected by the pelvis after 12 weeks gestation and can be more easily injured by blunt trauma.
Whilst wearing a seat belt during pregnancy may not be comfortable, it will improve safety for both mother and baby. When you must do the driving, learn to place the seat belt in the correct position - There is definitely a correct way to wear a seat belt. Place the lap-belt part of the restraint under your abdomen and across your upper thighs so it's snug and comfortable - The lap belt should never ever be placed on or above your belly. Wearing a lap belt alone will do more harm than good.
Research done by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents found that rapid deceleration in a crash caused injuries to the unborn baby when a pregnant woman was only wearing a lap belt. Adjust your sitting position so the belt crosses your shoulder without cutting into your neck. The shoulder belt should cross over your collar bone and lay between your breasts. It should be positioned so that it does not hit your neck. Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.
When travelling in cars fitted with air bags, the front seat whether it be the driving seat or the passenger seat should be pushed back as far as practical. The belt should be worn as tight as possible -In this way the forces applied in a sudden impact can be absorbed by the body's frame. Air bags are meant to work with seat belts in protecting both mother and child. Air bags inflate within approximately one-twentieth of a second after a crash. The inflated air bag creates a protective cushion between the driver or passenger and the steering wheel, dashboard, and windscreen.
This maximises the distance between your chest and the steering wheel if you are driving. Doctors strongly recommend leaving airbags turned on, whether riding as a passenger or the driver. Leave air bags operational; just remember that you should have a good 30cm or so between your stomach and a potential air bag.
No authorities have yet issued definitive guidelines on the use of air bags by pregnant women, though some manufacturers advise that mums-to-be should not sit in front seats with a passenger air bag. Avoid leaning or reaching forward, and sit back in the seat with as little slack in the seat belt as possible - this will reduce your forward movement in a crash and allow the airbag to inflate correctly.
To cut your risks of injury even further, though, you could sit buckled —in at the back seat, which is the safest place to travel in any car. General advice and suggestions to pregnant drivers Make sure your seat is positioned comfortable and not too close to the steering wheel in case of an accident and the air bag deploys. Leave some space at least 10 cm between your belly and steering wheel, bend back slightly. Check your view out of your mirrors if you push your seat back or change the height of the steering wheel.
Make sure that after you adjust your seat you can still comfortably reach the accelerator, brake, and clutch — if you are stretching to reach the pedals, it could affect your reaction time.
Remove coats or jackets that restrict your ability to move freely behind the wheel and learn to rely on the heating system of the vehicle to keep you warm. If you suffer from pains in back, massage seat nets, wattle of wooden balls or tarpaulin ones with air gap will be of great help for you.
During a long trip stop and have some rest - leave the car, walk for a while, stretch yourself, do everything to relax and relieve tension.
Feet and ankles are prone to swelling in pregnancy and can be worsened by sitting still for too long. Take small snacks and water with you on journeys as your body now demands better sustenance throughout the day. Always bring a lumbar support it can be a small pillow or rolled up sweater or small blanket. The seat belt is good enough, or is it?
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