![]() MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES AND MATERNAL OUTCOMES (2009) suggests that the differences in these statewide motor vehicle crash rates during pregnancy may be due to several state specific factors, including birth rates, the mean maternal age during pregnancy, and the variation of age-specific crash risk of women of reproductive ages. 2, 3 In Washington State, the motor vehicle crash rate for pregnant front seat occupants (i.e., drivers and passengers) between 20 was 1.0%, with the majority of crashes occurring during the second trimester. In Pennsylvania and Utah, the motor vehicle crash rates were 1.1% (between 2002–2005) and 2.8% (between 1992–1999), respectively, among pregnant drivers, with a fairly even distribution of crashes across trimesters. 1 Although most state-specific crash rates among pregnant women are unknown, there are three states that have conducted population-based studies to estimate their pregnancy crash rates Pennsylvania, Utah, and Washington State. In the United States, the annual crash rate for pregnant women has been estimated as at least 13 per 1,000 person-years as compared to 26 crashes per 1,000 person-years among non-pregnant women. Motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy are all too common events. In addition, this paper suggests interventions targeted towards the prevention of crashes during pregnancy. This paper reviews what is presently known about motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy, their effects on maternal and fetal outcomes, and the role of vehicle safety devices and other safety approaches in mitigating the occurrence and severity of maternal crashes and subsequent injuries. Only a few population-based studies have explored the association between motor vehicle crashes and adverse maternal and/or fetal outcomes and even fewer have examined the effectiveness of seat belts and/or airbags in reducing the risk of these outcomes. In addition, several case reports describing maternal and fetal outcomes following crashes have been published in the literature. Crash simulation studies using female anthropomorphic test devices and computational models have been conducted to better understand the mechanisms of maternal and fetal injuries and death resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Even less is known about the effects of crashes on fetal outcomes. Little is known about the circumstances surrounding these crash events and the maternal characteristics that may increase women’s vulnerability to crash-related injuries during pregnancy. Motor vehicle crashes during pregnancy are the leading cause of traumatic fetal mortality and serious maternal injury morbidity and mortality in the United States, injuring approximately 92,500 pregnant women each year.
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