Babies, Parenting, Child Health, Infant Nutrition

Child Development – University of Michigan Study Finds Seat Belts Save Lives of Unborn Babies

04.03.2008 | 4:04:14 pm | Posted by mummums

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

child health, parenting It has been well documented that seat belts save lives, yet many women believe in the myth they should not wear their seatbelts when expecting. If you’ve worn your seatbelt during your pregnancy, you might feel slightly constricted prompting thoughts of how your baby must be feeling. A new study by the University of Michigan dispels the myth that seatbelts may harm unborn babies. To the contrary, the study reveals that seatbelts can save the life of a baby in utero.

According the research team, about 82% of US residents wear their seatbelts regularly and approximately 6% of pregnant women are involved in a car accident during their pregnancies. Researchers noted that 200 out of about the 370 fetuses killed each year in the US during motor vehicle crashes would be spared if expecting women wore seat belts. Finding seat belts absolutely protect unborn fetuses, the team went on to recommend pregnant women always wear their seatbelt when in a vehicle.

Examining the details of 57 car accidents involving women at least 20 weeks pregnant, researchers found that 72% of the women wore their seatbelts while only 38% of the women who had babies who suffered injuries had worn seatbelts. Pregnant women can reduce the risk of injury to their baby by 84% compared to women who do not wear their seat belts, according to researchers. In addition, a fetus is 4.5 more likely to survive if the mother wears her seatbelt.

The study also found no significant evidence that air bags can harm a fetus concluding that women should not disable the airbags in their vehicles. Essentially, the mothers who did not wear seatbelts sustained serious injuries. Since babies in the womb are dependant upon the health status of the mother, by protecting yourself you are ultimately protecting your baby.

Dr. Mark Pearlman, who led the study, also offers pointers for expecting mothers on how to correctly wear a seatbelt. The shoulder strap should be rest between the breasts and to the side of the tummy while the lap strap should be placed across the hips and under the tummy. The seat belt should fit snugly and instead of going across the tummy, should rest below the belly button as low as it can comfortably go. With a rapidly growing belly, many expecting women have said they do not wear their seatbelts because they simply no longer fit. The Maternity Seatbelt is a device that helps hold the seatbelt in the proper position for expecting women and there are a variety of seatbelt extensions available as well.

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