Traumatic personal injuries can be devastating for pregnant women, and auto accidents are some of the leading causes of these types of injuries involving pregnant women. A new study finds that even a minor car accident can significantly raise the risk of complications for an expectant mother.
The results of a new Taiwanese study were published in the journal Injury Prevention recently. The researchers analyzed auto accident injury data involving more than 20,000 pregnant women over a 10 year period, and found that women who suffered even minor injuries in an auto accident while pregnant suffered significantly increased risks of complications, including placental disruption and excessive bleeding. Many of these women were at a much higher risk of requiring emergency C-sections.
Based on the data, the researchers believe that women who have been involved in a car accident during pregnancy are more than 50% likely to experience a placental disruption and more than 30% likely to suffer from prolonged contractions. They also had a risk of excessive bleeding that was 19% higher and a 5% higher risk of C-sections. Women who suffered even minor injuries were found to have an even higher risk of complications. For example, among women who had suffered even minor personal injuries in a car accident, there was a 70% higher risk of placental disruption and 54% higher risk of induced labor.
The risk of serious complications increased with the severity of the personal injury. In the case of women who had suffered serious personal injuries, the risk of placental disruption increased by 61%. Another major risk for women who suffered severe injuries in a car accident was the risk of a premature delivery with the risk increasing by a staggering 80% in the case of severe personal injuries. Premature births are related to a wide range of complications including poor fetal birth weight, brain injuries at birth, complications with the immune system of the baby, breathing problems, and other complications. Premature birth can be traumatic for both mother and baby.
Overall, according to the researchers, auto accidents are a much neglected source of traumatic injuries to pregnant women. As many as 70% of all traumatic injuries involving pregnant women every year involve auto accidents.
The researchers suggest that women who are expecting a baby educate themselves about the right kind of vehicles that could keep them safe in a possible car accident. Women should be especially educated about the various risks involved in travelling during pregnancy.
The Atlanta car crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages. You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.