Severe car accidents involving expected mothers have more reasons to be concerned. Expected mothers not only worry about themselves but their babies as well. Such cases are very complicated as it is not easy to see when the unborn gets injured. Babies can sustain serious and life-threatening injuries even when their mother is okay.
Unfortunately, if an expected mother gets into a car accident, then she must know the following things to avoid any further damage.
Risk to Babies in the Car Accident
In an accident, an intense or sudden pressure exerted on the abdomen of the mother can be life-threatening to her and the child as well.
- Placental Abruption: It is a serious complication. It causes the placenta to detach from the uterine wall, baby starves for oxygen and other nutrients that are needed for survival. Mothers may suffer miscarriage or go into premature delivery.
- Uterine Rupture: When the muscular uterine wall tears and causes changes in the uterine contractions, abdominal pain, and potential bleeding then uterine rupture happens which possibly leads to the death of the child or mother, or both.
- Miscarriage: Due to suffering trauma or impact a mother can miscarry during the accident.
- Infection: In an accident foreign substances such as metal, fluids, plastic, and glass can enter the tissues and blood of the mother and unborn children. If this is left untreated then these things may cause sepsis which is a fetal blood infection.
- Maternal Shock: Losing blood after the accident, the body of the expected mother struggles to pump the remaining blood to the vital organs. During this, the blood flow of the mother is directed away from the baby.
- Fatal Injuries: Babies can sustain internal injuries during the accident like head trauma and/or internal bleeding.
- Premature Birth: Delivery before the 37th week of pregnancy is premature birth because the child didn’t get enough time to fully develop. A car accident may result in premature birth which may cause possible medical complications in the child. A premature child may develop congenital disabilities that last for a lifetime. Some of these disabilities include hearing loss, lung problems, autism, heart defects, blindness, and intellectual disabilities.
- Contrecoup and Coup Injuries: A contrecoup injury occurs when the head hits the stationary object. In contrast, the coup injury occurs when the object hits the head. Both injuries can occur in a car accident.
What Steps to Take After a Car Accident
Got into an accident? The first thing you need to do is remain calm and think clearly. Then you need to follow the below steps:
Get off the Road: For safety purposes, get off the road if an accident requires it unless your injuries made you unable to move.
Call Police: Let the police know you got into the car wreck and are pregnant. Listen to the officer carefully and answer the dispatcher of the question thoroughly.
Get Medical Help: Seek medical help immediately. If you feel okay, still seek medical care. Let the medical personnel examine you and your baby thoroughly.
For further claims, contact an experienced Victorville car accident lawyer who can guide you in the right direction. They will help you in investigating the claim and get you fair compensation.
