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Pregnant women, especially first-timers, have a lot of random concerns. Some strike in the middle of the night (“How come I didn’t feel queasy today? Is the baby still okay?”), some at restaurants as we stare at the menu (“Will they cook my burger enough? Is the shrimp tainted?”), and some in the car (“What if that guy hits us???”)

Driving one day, I began to wonder how it would feel to wear a seatbelt over my huge belly when I’m seven or eight months pregnant, and if I even should. Rumors and myths have circulated that a seatbelt can actually be dangerous to a fetus, leaving me even more concerned and confused.

Turns out, I have nothing to worry about: not only is wearing a seatbelt the law, but it’s also the best thing for the unborn baby.

A study released on Wednesday, April 2, 2008, by the University of Michigan and published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology showed that a pregnant woman can significantly reduce the chances that her fetus will die or be seriously hurt in a car accident when the mother-to-be is wearing her seatbelt. “The lives of 200 of the roughly 370 fetuses killed yearly in U.S. vehicle crashes would be spared if all pregnant women wore seat belts,” stated a news article published today by Reuters.

The study results have prompted senior author Mark D. Pearlman, M.D., and vice-chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the U-M Health System to launch a new initiative, SAFE BABI (Seatbelts Are For Everyone – Buckle All Babies In). Findings of the study indicated that 84 percent of serious fetal adverse outcomes (injuries and deaths) due to car accidents could be prevented by the mother-to-be buckling up.

What’s the proper way to wear a seatbelt if you’re pregnant?

• Place the lap strap beneath your belly (below your belly button) as much as possible, across your hips.
• Place the shoulder strap between your breasts and to the side of your belly.
• Do not place the strap directly across your stomach.
• As with anyone wearing a seat belt, make sure it fits snugly and is not loose.

The study also turned up no evidence indicating that airbags may be dangerous to pregnant women or their fetuses. An article published on the car buying site, Edmunds.com, does recommend moving the front seat as far back as possible when riding in a car with an airbag. If you are driving, try to maintain as much distance between your belly and the steering wheel as possible, with your feet still safely reaching the gas and brake pedals. But keep that airbag activated; it could save yours or your baby’s life.Think a car accident won’t affect you? Prior to the University of Michigan study, researchers had estimated that the number of deaths to fetuses from car crashes is about 400 per year, making it the biggest injury-related danger to unborn babies. The U of M study found that about 6 to 7 percent of women who are pregnant are involved in a car crash, which translates to about 170,000 car crashes a year involving pregnant women.

In fact, riding home from the post office through a residential neighborhood with my husband just before posting this blog, we had a close call. A person in an SUV backed out of his driveway too quickly, without looking. My husband’s intuition and awareness kept us out of an accident, as my husband was able to slow down and move to the other side of the road seconds before the guy saw our car and stopped.

Yes, I was wearing my seat belt!

Reference: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vol. 198, Issue 4, April 2008. “Fetal Outcome in Motor-Vehicle Crashes: Effects of Crash Characteristics and Maternal Restraint”

Tags: car accidents, pregnant women, seatbelt study, University of Michigan