New Study Finds Seat Belts Save Lives of Unborn Babies

A new study from the University of Michigan debunks the notion that seatbelts are harmful to fetuses, finding instead that pregnant women who wear the safety devices greatly reduce the risk their unborn babies will die or be seriously hurt during a vehicle crash.

The researchers said that 200 out of the roughly 370 fetuses killed each year in vehicle crashes in the U.S. would be spared if pregnant women wore seat belts.

"Seat belts absolutely protect the fetus -- and not wearing a belt is a big problem," Dr. Mark Pearlman, who led the study, said during a Reuters telephone interview.

"Every single time they get in a motor vehicle, pregnant women should wear their seat belts without question -- every single time."

The researchers examined in detail 57 vehicle crashes involving women who were at least 20 weeks pregnant. In all, twelve fetuses were killed in the crashes. During the study, 72 percent of the women were wearing seat belts, but only 38 percent of the women whose babies died or suffered serious complications had worn seat belts.

The researchers concluded that pregnant women who wear seat belts cut the risk of their fetus being killed or experiencing other serious complications by 84 percent compared to women who did not wear seat belts.  The non-fatal but serious complications included a woman's placenta prematurely separating from the uterine wall, preterm birth before 32 weeks of pregnancy or direct fetal injury.

The findings should finally dispel the “myth” that wearing a seatbelt is harmful to the fetus, Pearlman said. The study also turned up no evidence that air bags were harmful to fetuses, and Pearlman does not recommend disabling them.

"What this study also shows is that if you are unbelted, the mom did a lot worse. And since the baby's dependent upon the mom entirely for everything, that's part of what's going on here -- you're protecting the mom, you're also protecting the baby," Pearlman said.

Pearlman offered some advice on the proper way for pregnant women to wear seat belts.

He said the lap strap should be placed across the hips and under the belly to the greatest extent possible, with the shoulder strap between the breasts and to the side of the belly.  The seat belt should be snug, not loose, and the straps should not go directly across the stomach but instead be below the belly button as low as they can comfortably go.

Pearlman said about 82 percent of people in the U.S. regularly wear seat belts, with 6 to 7 percent of pregnant women becoming involved in some type of car crash during their pregnancy.