New Delhi. Pregnant women should wear seat belts, not only to save themselves in the event of a car accident but also to save their unborn baby.

Quoting a Texas study from American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India said that over half of all fetal losses in motor–vehicle crashes –– could be saved if pregnant women buckled up properly.

Even if a fetus survives, premature delivery as a result of the crash can lead to low birth weight, respiratory problems and long–term physical or neurological problems. As per the researchers at the University of Michigan the survival of the fetus was most strongly associated with the severity of the crash and how badly the mother is injured. Fetuses are 4.5 times more likely to survive if the mother is wearing the proper seat belt.

Regular use of seat belts by pregnant women will prevent 84 percent of fetal injuries and deaths as a result of car accidents. Women in car crashes where the fetus is injured or dies are unbelted 62 percent of the time. 9 percent of pregnant women who properly wore a three–point belt, with or without air bag deployment, had ‘acceptable’ fetal outcomes in less severe crashes.

Air bags do not seem to adversely affect fetal outcomes.

For pregnant women, the lap–belt portion needs to be worn low over the pelvis so if there is a crash, basically, the bony pelvis is what the seat belt is restraining rather than (having the force) transmitted to the uterus or the abdomen. The shoulder belt should simply come up from the side, go between the woman's breasts, and over the shoulder