Citation

Klinich KD, Schneider LW, Moore JL, Pearlman MD. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 2000; 44: 37-55.

Affiliation

Biosciences Division, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11558095

PMCID

PMC3217378

Abstract

Case reports of 16 crashes involving pregnant occupants are presented that illustrate the main conclusions of a crash-investigation program that includes 42 crashes investigated to date. Some unusual cases that are exceptions to the overall trends are also described. The study indicates a strong association between adverse fetal outcome and both crash severity and maternal injury. Proper restraint use, with and without airbag deployment, generally leads to acceptable fetal outcomes in lower severity crashes, while it does not affect fetal outcome in high-severity crashes. Compared to properly restrained pregnant occupants, improperly restrained occupants have a higher risk of adverse fetal outcome in lower severity crashes, which comprise the majority of all motor-vehicle collisions.