Many mothers assume that it is better for them to refrain from wearing a seatbelt when driving or riding in the car while pregnant. This is because mothers mistakenly assume that if they are pregnant and the pressure from the seatbelt tightens across their belly, it could damage the fetus. Many mothers also disable their airbags while they are pregnant, hoping that in the event of an accident the lack of an airbag will keep them from receiving a damaging blow to the stomach. Yet both of these assumptions are faulty. In fact, a study released by Reuters Health debunked these myths and encourages women to wear their seatbelts and keep airbags active regardless of what stage of pregnancy they are in.

The new study claims that expectant mothers are more likely to lose the fetus without safety precautions and restraints in their vehicle than with them. A researcher at the Michigan Transportation Research Institute claims that the worst thing that can happen to a mother is to get hurt while pregnant. When a mother is injured, this can also cause injury to the fetus. Instead, mothers should take care to protect themselves from a tragic injury in the event of a car accident by wearing restraints. Thousands of pregnant women are hospitalized every single year after they are inured in motor vehicle accidents.

A doctor at Duke University Medical Center says that one of the things that he is concerned about is educating patients about seatbelt. This obstetrician and gynecologist says that many mothers don't understand the importance of seatbelts during their pregnancy. The author of the study says that some choose to not wear seatbelts even after hearing that this is dangerous. This Duke University doctor and his colleagues chose to research the trauma registry at the Duke University Hospital to determine how many pregnant women were injured in car accidents and whether or not a lack of a seatbelt was a factor in these injuries. According to findings, there were 126 records of women who were in their second and third trimesters that were in a collision between the years 1994 and 2010.

Within this group of data, 86 of the mothers were wearing seatbelts when they accidents happened. Out of these 86 mothers, three lost their babies. This is a 3.5 margin. The study also revealed that 12 women were not wearing seatbelts when involved in a car accident. Out of those 12 women, another three lost their babies. This means that 25% of all mothers who were not wearing seatbelts lost their children, while only 3.5% of all mothers that were wearing a seatbelt experienced similar circumstances.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests that pregnant women wear seatbelts at all times. They should wear the shoulder strap and leave the lap part of the seatbelt resting on their hip bones below the belly. This way, there is a reduced risk of the seatbelt causing trauma to the fetus in an accident. Research at Duke showed that most of the women who did not wear a seatbelt when driving and suffered injury were first-time mothers. Those who already had children and were pregnant with another tended to remember to buckle up.

When it comes to airbags, the research at Duke shoed that there were 17 accidents where the airbags were deployed. Mothers in those situations were most likely to experience the placenta separating from the uterus, a painful and dangerous injury that can cause trauma to both the baby and the mother. A researcher at University of North Carolina revealed that it's like that the airbag is not to blame for this potential injury, but rather the force of the accident. Doctors still claim that deactivating airbags can cause more harm than good, so it is a practice that should be avoided when possible.

A study from Washington State claims that airbags do not increase the risk of most pregnancy-related accidents. If you want more information about seatbelt and airbag use or if you were injured in a car collision that was not your fault and you now want assistance in your case, contact a local car accident attorney today. With the right lawyer on your side, you may be able to receive damages for your pain and suffering. If you lost your unborn child in a tragic car accident, you may even be able to sue for wrongful death. Hire a local automobile accident lawyer today to get started.