Some pregnant women find it uncomfortable to wear a seatbelt during their last trimester.They think that wearing a tight seat belt in an accident could harm the baby.
A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan found good reason for moms to stop fretting and strap themselves in: about 200 fetuses each year would not be lost if pregnant women properly buckled their seat belts every time they were in an automobile, no matter which seat they’re in.
The researchers concluded that at a crash speed of 20 mph (a standard high-severity crash) the risk for fetal death or major complications was approximately 12 percent when the mother was wearing a seat belt properly, compared with 70 percent when she was not properly restrained. Further, they found that across all crash severities, from 1 mph to 40 mph, wearing seat belts would likely save about 84 percent of babies.
Well there it is ladies – proof that the safety of your growing baby trumps an uncomfortable ride in the car.
Related Articles:
