Seat belt in pregnancy car
To ensure the safety of a pregnant woman traveling by car, the use of a seat belt is essential.
Many women find it uncomfortable and annoying especially in the last trimester, when the lower part could compress the belly. Be careful to wear it correctly.
Although the highway code provides for an exemption certified by the gynecologist in case of particular contraindications, if the woman incurs a road accident, the consequences can be much more serious if she does not use the belt in the right
way Therefore the recommendation is to always wear it.
How to wear the seat belt in pregnancy
If you check in the booklet of your car you will find specific information for a pregnant woman.
These for example are contained in the Golf:
As you can see, the lower part of the belt should be placed under the belly, in contact with the legs. This is to avoid that in the event of an accident the belt compresses the abdomen excessively, which could be dangerous,
Accessories for positioning the belt
The article of the highway code that examines restraint devices is number 172.
This article states that:
“Whoever, while making use of the restraint devices, alters or hinders their normal functioning, is subject to the administrative sanction of payment of a sum from 40 euros to 162 euros.”
There are various accessories on the market which, theoretically without compromising the functioning of the belt, help to keep the lower part of the seat belt in contact with the legs to prevent it from overlapping the belly.
As you can see in the photo above, the expectant mother has adopted a device from BeSafe , a Norwegian company leader in the production of child car seats and other road safety products.
It is a system that, linked to the car seat, allows you to correctly position the car belt without interfering with the normal operation of the same. The device allows you to hold the part of the abdominal belt in the right position under the fetal area.
There are two models of Besafe pregnancy belt:
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BeSafe Pregnant Belt ECE R 16 approved, which can be used from the second month of pregnancy.
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can also be attached to the car’s ISOfix attachments to the passenger seat or rear seat.
There are alternatives to BeSafe on the market designed in a different way but always with the aim of keeping the lower part of the belt under the belly as you can see in the image below:
This system involves the use of a cushion attached to the seat and a sort of loops that allow the lower part of the belt to pass adherent to the legs. It is marketed by various companies including the Spanish .
Other systems such as Zuwit’s present with a central hook but that would not be comfortable if you wear skirts or dresses:
Do not use do-it-yourself solutions because they do not guarantee the grip in case of an accident and always wear a seat belt for any movement in the car.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.