Buckle Up!

A University of Michigan study reinforces the truth that wearing a seatbelt is a key safety measure—even for pregnant women. Many people believe that the lap band of a seat belt can injure the baby in an accident because it tightens over the abdomen—but the study shows that a seatbelt itself is much less harmful than being unprotected in a crash.

Researchers looked at both “good” and “bad” outcomes of vehicle crashes involving pregnant women who were at least 20 weeks into their pregnancy—a bad outcome meant that the women experienced either a preterm birth, fetal injury or fatality. There was an 84% reduction in bad outcomes among women who wore seatbelts. Watch CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta explain the study and give a demonstration of how women should wear a seatbelt when expecting. We promise it isn’t too scary, and it is a must-see for all soon to be new moms! [CNN]