Some women continue to drive even at high pregnancy, and they do not even suspect that even invented special belts for pregnant women. And it was during pregnancy so dangerous even minor injuries, they are dangerous not only for the mother but for the child.

History of seat belts

Seat belts were invented in the early twentieth century, but fifty years later they found a practical application and started saving lives. At the beginning of the 21st century, the American automobile company "Ford" has started creation of the first seat belts for pregnant women, the reliability of which will be tested long-term studies. The complexity of this work was that the invention had to be tested for pregnant women. Therefore, for this purpose it was created a dummy of a pregnant woman, who was given the name Linda. We investigated the load on all kinds of tissues in case of accidents, involving and Linda, and the usual dummies. The first belts based on these developments, there will be in 2010.

These studies have also shown that no special belt for pregnant women is required. The usual three-point seat belt is not harmful to the baby when properly fastening: superior oblique branch should rest on the shoulder, and the horizontal - as low as possible under the belly, not pushing him.

And yet, the conventional seat belt is not convenient for the pregnant woman. So now on sale there are special seatbelts for pregnant women, the safety and suitability of which tested not on the basis of long-term studies, but only on the basis of crash tests (crash test - a test of the safety of a re-creation of the accident and identify the level of damage that is able to apply accident passengers).

The dangerous road injury to a pregnant woman

Car accidents are a common cause of fetal death, regardless of whether the pregnant woman driving or sitting next to the driver. Thus, pregnant women often do not wear a seat belt because they believe that it could harm the baby. When analyzing the consequences of the accident, it was found that almost half of the children killed could have been saved if a pregnant woman was wearing a seat belt. In most cases fetal loss when injuries occur from premature detachment of the placenta, which can threaten the life of not only the fruit but also women, as is often accompanied by heavy bleeding.

In the later stages of pregnancy is not recommended for women to drive a car, because they can occur suddenly dizzy Dizziness - if the ground is slipping from under his feet , Weakness or fainting, which often accompany pregnancy.

Proper use of the seat belt

If a pregnant woman is still necessary to get behind the wheel, it will have to wear seatbelts, as in pregnancy, even emergency braking can be dangerous. There are rules fixing belt for pregnant women, because if the belt is located on the abdomen, and the car suddenly braked abruptly, it could lead to the threat of miscarriage Miscarriage - can you protect yourself from it? .

The seat belt is fastened so that the lower branch was held under the belly, keeping the hips and the top - from the left shoulder in the center of the chest. Can be fastened, and so that the upper branch of the belt lying on the chest, and bottom - under the breast, belly up. The belt should also be adjusted in advance, given the characteristics of the pregnant woman: it should not be either too taut or hang loosely. In domestic cars it is enough just to move the attachment, adjusting the length, and foreign cars need to do is remove the attachment and change the belt tension.

Types of seat belts

There are special seatbelts for pregnant women with restraining devices that can reliably move the normal seat in the abdomen and fix it in this position. Such a device is attached to the seat cushion and that increases the ride height of the pregnant woman, which greatly reduces the risk of abdominal trauma. These types of seat belts are domestic firms Globex and FEST. This device saves a pregnant woman from the blows that can happen during emergency braking, even under heavy accident. These belts recommended for use with early pregnancy.

There is another kind of seat belts for pregnant women, as well as attachment to them that are called «Maternity seat belt». They are different from conventional seat belts that are more elastic and have not three, and four attachment points, in this connection, the pregnant does not feel the pressure on my stomach and protected from possible injury.

Pregnant women should know clearly right: put on a seat belt can save her and the baby from big trouble.

Galina Romanenko

In the course of pregnancy and birth is influenced by many factors. These include not only the behavior of the pregnant woman, but her disease before pregnancy and during it. From this it depends on the location of such an important organ of pregnancy, the placenta. Where should be located placenta is normal, and why the process is sometimes disturbed, such questions often asked pregnant women.

What is the placenta?

The placenta or afterbirth - an important organ of pregnancy, which has many functions. Through the placenta the child not only breathes and receives nutrients, but it still provides its antibody Antibodies - "soldiers' immunity   from my mother, and produces hormones that preserve the pregnancy and to ensure normal growth and development of the baby.

Types of location of the placenta

Normally, the placenta is located closer to the bottom of the uterus on the front or back wall thereof. This localization is convenient because in this location the placenta is in the "Safety" and better carry out their functions. However, the placenta is "do not like" attached to the pathological areas (eg, in the area of ​​the scar on the uterus or the location of the fibroids). Because the placenta, if certain pathologies of the uterus, are not always located in the bottom of the uterus. Cases and its abnormal position. These include low attachment of the placenta and its presentation.

The low placenta and placenta previa

The low placenta (low placentation) - This attachment of the placenta at or below six centimeters from the internal cervical os. Usually detected only in the US and is not fraught with any danger. Normally, due to the "migration" of the placenta rises above the end of pregnancy.

Placenta previa - it is terrible diagnosis, and can be of three types: edge, side and full.

About marginal previa say when the placenta is no more than a third, covers the internal os. In a side previa overlapping internal os reaches two-thirds. At full well, or the central previa, the placenta completely covers the cervical canal lumen.

The clinical picture of placenta previa

The most dangerous symptom of placenta previa - the bleeding. It usually begins suddenly, for no apparent reason and may be of varying intensity. But bleeding can contribute to factors such as physical activity, coughing, constipation, taking a bath and even a nervous stress. Bleeding is unpredictable, it can begin with light spotting, and then suddenly go into abundant, and even profuse. Usually bleeding starts with placenta previa in second trimester of pregnancy, but particularly dangerous time - it is 28-32 weeks. In this period there is a preparatory activity of the uterus, that is, increases its tone, resulting in premature detachment of placenta previa and bleeding.

Often accompanied by a permanent placenta previa (often repetitive) threatened miscarriage. As a consequence of persistent bleeding, anemia occurs and hypotension (low blood pressure) pregnant. This is accompanied by weakness, lethargy, fatigue and changes in skin, hair and nails.

Due to improper location of the placenta and its supplementary anemia Anemia - when you do not have enough blood It develops fetoplacental insufficiency Placental insufficiency - deviation from the norm Later turning into vnuriutrobnoy syndrome, fetal growth retardation.

Often with placenta previa malposition (lateral or oblique).

Fault location of the placenta

Very good location of the placenta determined by ultrasound. Today it is the easiest and safest method for the determination of placenta previa. However, in an emergency, such as bleeding when there is no time or opportunity to conduct ultrasound is performed examination of the cervix in the mirror in order to detect the site of the placenta in the cervical canal Cervical canal - the path traversed by every person . It is important that the examination is carried out very carefully, only in the maternity hospital and the presence of "expanded" operating.

Delivery with placenta previa

Thus, pregnancy full previa rodorazreshaetsya only by Caesarean section. If there are no complications, elective surgery is carried out in 38 weeks.

Pregnant women with a side or edge previa may "let" in the independent delivery, in the absence or minor bleeding, with the early opening of membranes and open operating.

Anna Sozinova