Pregnant Drivers at Increased Risk of Accidents, Particularly during Second Trimester

Driving while pregnant could put some at an increased risk for serious traffic accidents. A recent study conducted by researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto in Ontario shows that pregnant drivers are at a higher risk for fetal death and chronic disability.

"Pregnant women often worry about air flights, scuba diving, hot tubs and other topics in maternal health, yet individuals may overlook traffic crashes despite their greater health risks," said lead author Dr. Donald Redelmeier, a researcher at the institute, via a press release.

The study examined 507,262 pregnant women in order to determine if common features related to pregnancy, including fatigue, insomnia, nausea and distraction contributed to error, were responsible for an increased risk of automobile accidents.

"During the three years before pregnancy, the women had 6 922 crashes, 177 a month. During the second trimester, the women had 757 crashes, 252 a month," researchers said, via the release.

Findings also showed that about one in 50 pregnant women will be involved in a crash.

"These findings are not a reason to decide not to have children or a reason to stop driving; instead, the findings primarily emphasize the need to drive more carefully," Dr. Redelmeier stressed, via the release. "Even a minor motor vehicle crash during pregnancy could lead to irreparable consequences for mother and child. These findings underscore the importance of prevention and indicate that good prenatal care includes safe driving."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the article "Pregnancy and the risk of a traffic crash," which was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.