Car accidents can certainly scare you and leave you shaken, but pregnant women have even more cause for concern.
Whether you are just a few weeks along or into your third trimester, any
Trauma to a woman’s stomach or spine can impact the fetus’s development, whether you’re in your first trimester or just days away from your due date.
Many pregnant women who escape uninjured from Florida car accidents often assume their unborn baby was uninjured, also. But weeks later they learn the extent of the damage.
Even if you used your seatbelt and the airbag was not deployed, an Ormond Beach vehicle accident can have significant consequences for your baby’s health. Problems may include:
- Placental separation. This is when the placenta disconnects from the wall of the uterus, which can be dangerous.
- Premature labor. Contractions can begin due to the shock of the accident, possibly leading to an early birth and low birth weight for the baby.
- Emergency C-section. If birth complications occur or the baby is in distress, an emergency Cesarean section may have to be performed for the baby’s survival.
- Bleeding. If the mom was struck in the stomach, there could be internal and external bleeding, which could result in a miscarriage.
- Birth defects. If it was a serious accident or if the infant’s brain was deprived of oxygen for a period of time, the baby could have a serious brain injury.
Even if you and your baby were both not injured, the aftermath from the accident and resulting emotional distress could cause pre-term labor and impact the infant’s health. Signs that the crash may have impacted your baby’s health include:
- Dizziness or fainting
- Vaginal discharge or bleeding
- Stomach pain
- Swelling in the hands and face
- Headaches that don’t go away
- Vomiting not associated with morning sickness
- Pain-causing urination
- Fever that is unexplained
- Change in how often the fetus moves
After a vehicle accident, a doctor should carefully assess the risks to a woman’s pregnancy, including blood tests and use of a fetal monitor to track the baby’s position. If x-rays are required, women should shield their abdomen from radiation. If pain medication is required , a doctor should prescribe carefully, as certain medications can pose a significant threat to the fetus. If the doctor failed to perform any of these actions, he or she may be guilty of negligence.
If you experienced any physical or emotional suffering after a car accident, the advice of an Ormond Beach car accident attorney can be invaluable to your family’s health.
For more on child safety issues, see the library of articles by Daytona Beach child injury attorney.
