A car accident can be a traumatic event, but the risks are especially high for pregnant drivers and passengers. A recent study by researchers at the University of Toronto discovered that pregnant women were 42 percent more likely to suffer a serious accident while carrying a child than if they were not pregnant. While the reasons for the increased risk vary, the conclusion is the same: pregnant women are at a higher risk of injury anytime they step into a vehicle. .jpg)
Common Pregnancy Complications After a Crash
It is vital that pregnant women seek medical care after a car accident, including making an appointment with her OB-GYN provider as soon as possible after the crash. Without immediate medical intervention, the mother or the unborn child could suffer from one of the following:
Brain injury or Contrecoup injury.
A car accident that causes trauma to a victim’s head often results in a brain injury, but a fetus can suffer a brain injury even if there was no physical contact during the accident. The whiplash effect of a car accident can force the woman’s body sharply in one direction before jerking it in the other, causing what is known as a contrecoup injury. This has an effect similar to shaken baby syndrome on the fetus, who could suffer developmental delays or other birth defects as a result.
