How safe are pregnant women with seat belts?
Sylvia Nakamuli, 32, was recently arrested by a traffic police officer for not wearing a seatbelt in a taxi along Kampala-Entebbe highway.
By Asmara Nabayaza
Sylvia Nakamuli, 32, was recently arrested by a traffic police officer for not wearing a seatbelt in a taxi along Kampala-Entebbe highway. She was subsequently whisked off to Katwe Police Station, where she was charged with flouting traffic regulations. The officer seemed not to have noticed Nakamuli was four months pregnant.
Nakamuli is not alone. Many pregnant women have been arrested for being reluctant to buckle up. Apparently, the seatbelt law has no special provision for pregnant women.
“As far as we are concerned, everybody should wear a seatbelt. This is a law that was first discussed thoroughly well before it was enacted. No exceptions were provided for anyone. When the law is passed, everybody is supposed to respect it,†emphasises Gabriel Tibayungwa, the regional traffic officer, Kampala.
There has been a debate as to whether or not expectant mothers should wear seat belts. However, according to a recent study conducted by American obstetrics and gynaecologists, pregnant women who get involved in accident while not wearing seat belts put their unborn babies in danger, have excessive maternal bleeding during delivery, and are more likely to have low birth weight babies than their counterpart who wear the belts.
Dr Margaret Mungherera, the president of Uganda Medical Association says, “Pregnant women should wear the belts. However, the belts should be adjustable to fit any woman at whatever level of pregnancy.†She, however, says when lap belts are improperly worn, for example, over the bump (abdomen), they can significantly increase pressure on the foetus and cause injury.
The belts should be a lap and shoulder combination. The lap belt should fit freely under the woman’s abdomen and the shoulder belt should be placed diagonally across the woman’s chest. Proper use of a seatbelt greatly reduces the likelihood of a woman hurting the unborn baby.
“The belts should allow free movement of the diaphragm because naturally, women breathe with their chests, unlike men who breath with their abdomen,†Dr Mungherera says.
“For women in early stages of pregnancy, it is okay to wear the belts across the abdomen. However, they shouldn’t press the belt hard on their abdomens because it might push the baby upwards which can cause premature labour. In late stages of pregnancy, the belts should be worn above the ribcage and below the abdomen.â€
Dr Herbert Mugarura, a gynaecologist at Middle East Hospital in Bugolobi corroborates, “Pressing the belt hard on the abdomen does not only push the baby upward; it also causes the baby to grow from upward.
So when it comes to delivery, the uterus fights hard to push the baby down which is bad. Pregnant women should leave some space for the baby’s movements,†he says.
“The belts are safe for pregnant women till the seventh month, beyond which they shouldn’t be worn. During early pregnancy, the baby is mobile. Whenever it senses danger or discomfort, it moves. So whichever way the seatbelt is worn, it is okay for the baby,†Dr Kalegesa of Naguru Hospital says.
Beyond the seventh month, there limited room for the baby’s as it gets bigger in size.
It finally assumes a permanent position till delivery. At this stage, pregnant women shouldn’t wear seat belts because anything that happens is likely to affect the unborn baby.â€
He further says polyhybromnious (a condition where expectant mothers have a lot of fore-waters) makes an expectant mother’s abdomen distend abnormally. This happens with women expecting more than one baby. In such a case, the belts shouldn’t be worn completely irrespective of what the law says, because this does not only endanger the life of the woman, but also that of the unborn baby.
Ends
Sylvia Nakamuli, 32, was recently arrested by a traffic police officer for not wearing a seatbelt in a taxi along Kampala-Entebbe highway. She was subsequently whisked off to Katwe Police Station, where she was charged with flouting traffic regulations. The officer seemed not to have noticed Nakamuli was four months pregnant.
Nakamuli is not alone. Many pregnant women have been arrested for being reluctant to buckle up. Apparently, the seatbelt law has no special provision for pregnant women.
“As far as we are concerned, everybody should wear a seatbelt. This is a law that was first discussed thoroughly well before it was enacted. No exceptions were provided for anyone. When the law is passed, everybody is supposed to respect it,†emphasises Gabriel Tibayungwa, the regional traffic officer, Kampala.
There has been a debate as to whether or not expectant mothers should wear seat belts. However, according to a recent study conducted by American obstetrics and gynaecologists, pregnant women who get involved in accident while not wearing seat belts put their unborn babies in danger, have excessive maternal bleeding during delivery, and are more likely to have low birth weight babies than their counterpart who wear the belts.
Dr Margaret Mungherera, the president of Uganda Medical Association says, “Pregnant women should wear the belts. However, the belts should be adjustable to fit any woman at whatever level of pregnancy.†She, however, says when lap belts are improperly worn, for example, over the bump (abdomen), they can significantly increase pressure on the foetus and cause injury.
The belts should be a lap and shoulder combination. The lap belt should fit freely under the woman’s abdomen and the shoulder belt should be placed diagonally across the woman’s chest. Proper use of a seatbelt greatly reduces the likelihood of a woman hurting the unborn baby.
“The belts should allow free movement of the diaphragm because naturally, women breathe with their chests, unlike men who breath with their abdomen,†Dr Mungherera says.
“For women in early stages of pregnancy, it is okay to wear the belts across the abdomen. However, they shouldn’t press the belt hard on their abdomens because it might push the baby upwards which can cause premature labour. In late stages of pregnancy, the belts should be worn above the ribcage and below the abdomen.â€
Dr Herbert Mugarura, a gynaecologist at Middle East Hospital in Bugolobi corroborates, “Pressing the belt hard on the abdomen does not only push the baby upward; it also causes the baby to grow from upward.
So when it comes to delivery, the uterus fights hard to push the baby down which is bad. Pregnant women should leave some space for the baby’s movements,†he says.
“The belts are safe for pregnant women till the seventh month, beyond which they shouldn’t be worn. During early pregnancy, the baby is mobile. Whenever it senses danger or discomfort, it moves. So whichever way the seatbelt is worn, it is okay for the baby,†Dr Kalegesa of Naguru Hospital says.
Beyond the seventh month, there limited room for the baby’s as it gets bigger in size.
It finally assumes a permanent position till delivery. At this stage, pregnant women shouldn’t wear seat belts because anything that happens is likely to affect the unborn baby.â€
He further says polyhybromnious (a condition where expectant mothers have a lot of fore-waters) makes an expectant mother’s abdomen distend abnormally. This happens with women expecting more than one baby. In such a case, the belts shouldn’t be worn completely irrespective of what the law says, because this does not only endanger the life of the woman, but also that of the unborn baby.
Ends