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Pregnancy Injuries Pregnancy Injuries Pregnancy Injuries Pregnancy Injuries Pregnancy Injuries

Avoiding injury during pregnancy is more than just paying attention to how your belly feels; sometimes, women are unaware that their body is having a negative reaction simply because they don’t see outward signs.

Today’s world has a variety of exercises: running, biking, weight lifting, yoga, pilates, and more. Gyms offer various aerobics classes and personal training options, and the options do not stop for pregnant women.

Though the incidence of injury from physical activity is low during pregnancy, women who are pregnant must also be aware of the potential for injury from these activities. We’ll be addressing:

• Statistics of trauma in pregnancy

• How to stay safe while traveling pregnant and

• Activities that are generally safe for women with low-risk pregnancy

• Activities to avoid during pregnancy
• Warning signs of injury during pregnancy

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Statistics of Trauma in Pregnancy

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• Traumatic injuries during pregnancy are the leading nonobstetric cause of maternal death.

• Between 5 percent and 7 percent of all pregnancies are complicated by injuries, and trauma in pregnancy remains a common cause of fetal death.

• The most common traumatic injuries are motor vehicle crashes, assaults, falls, and intimate partner violence.

• Nine out of 10 traumatic injuries during pregnancy are classified as minor, yet 60 percent to 70 percent of fetal losses after trauma are a result of minor injuries.

• The most common pregnancy-related traumas are minor incidents, including motor vehicle crashes and mild blunt abdominal trauma.

Related article(s): Trauma in Pregnancy: Assessment, Management, and Prevention; Risk Factors for Maternal Injuries in a Population-Based Sample of Pregnant Women[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”22px”][vc_column_text]

Tips to Stay Safe While Traveling Pregnant — Practical and medical tips

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Unless otherwise instructed by your physician, travel is usually allowed during pregnancy. Plan ahead and consider the following comfort measures:

• Wear comfortable clothing that doesn’t bind.

• Take along light snacks and a water bottle.

• If you are driving a great distance, stop every hour or two along your route (especially if you are near the end of your pregnancy) to stretch and go to the bathroom.

• Sit as far back from the steering wheel as possible.

• Let others do the driving as much as possible during the last few months of pregnancy.

• Avoid unnecessary trips.

• When you ride in the car, sit in the back seat, which usually is a much safer place to ride.

• Use a lap/shoulder belt. Place the lap portion under your abdomen and across your upper thighs. The shoulder strap should fit diagonally between your breasts. Your seat belt should be snug, yet comfortable. Never ride with only your lap belt on and not the shoulder belt because you still could be seriously injured in a car accident.

• If you are in a crash, even a minor one, get checked at a hospital emergency room. Your unborn baby could be seriously injured even if you do not seem to be hurt.

• If you are going away for a long time, call your physician for recommendations of another physician at that location in case medical care would be necessary.

• If possible, avoid traveling long distances the last three months of your pregnancy.

• If you must travel, ask your physician for consent and ask for a copy of your prenatal record.

• If foreign travel is planned, check with your physician to make sure it is safe at the stage of pregnancy you are in, and to receive specific advice.

Related article(s): Safety Concerns During Pregnancy

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The following activities are generally safe for women whose pregnancies are not high risk

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Working out

It’s important to get exercise during pregnancy, though you will probably need to make some modifications as pregnancy progresses. You may be thinking, “I did not exercise before I got pregnant, so why should I now?” If preventing injury is not enough of a reason to exercise, check out a few of the many potential benefits to you and your baby:

• Better posture and overall appearance

• Fewer discomforts of pregnancy (back pain, foot pain, leg cramps)

• Decreased morning sickness, labor time, and less weight gain

• Increased strength of the muscles needed for delivery

• Improved muscle tone and fitness, which will carry over postpartum

• Better sleep

• • On the treadmill: Position yourself toward the middle or back of the belt so you don’t bump your belly against the console. Clip on the emergency stop pulley in case you fall or need to stop suddenly.

• • Lifting: Limit the amount of weight and avoid lifting with your back. Also, check your form — balance properly and protect your joints. Also consider using a spotter.

House and yard work

It’s generally safe to mow your lawn, garden, wash the car, and conduct other household chores during pregnancy (sorry to blow your cover!). That said, listen to your body.

If you feel fatigued or sore, take a break. Also avoid climbing ladders or working on uneven or slick surfaces to reduce the risk of falling. And, of course, don’t forget to stay hydrated and avoid heavy lifting. If you are pregnant and working, you may want to reduce or avoid:

• Repeatedly stooping, bending, or squatting

• Lifting heavy objects from the floor or below mid-shin

• Lifting overhead

• Standing for a long time

• Taking breaks and sitting down

If you are pregnant and working you may have to consider that:  

• Changes in your metabolism increase how quickly you absorb some chemicals (e.g. some metals).

• Because of physical changes, the personal protective equipment that you could wear correctly before pregnancy may not fit properly, such as lab coats or respirators.

• When pregnant, changes in your immune system, lung capacity, and even ligaments can alter your risk of injury or illness due to some workplace hazards.

• A fetus might be more vulnerable to some chemicals because of its rapid growth and development, particularly early in pregnancy when its organs are developing.

Related article(s): Reproductive Health And The Workplace – Physical demands (lifting, standing, bending); Reproductive Health And The Workplace – Pregnancy and Your Job

Extra love from pets  

Dogs and cats might jump up on you or plop on your lap when you least expect it. While pets under 40 pounds are unlikely to hurt your baby with pawing or bouncing, they can be a tripping hazard. Make sure you get a visual on your pet when you enter a room to avoid falling.

Pets over 40 pounds can jump or land with enough force to hurt you or potentially harm the baby. Teach the pet not to jump or ask someone to kennel the pet when you are present.

Related article(s): Injury Prevention in Pregnancy – Part 1

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Activities to avoid during pregnancy

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We know that summer is the time to get out and experience things — open up the windows and let the fresh air in, go to that nice sushi spot downtown for a couple of rolls, check out that new yoga spot and get your stretch on! But you still have to be mindful of the dangers associated with these seemingly harmless activities.

Try not paint the house or be around paint. There’s no way to measure toxicity from actual exposure to paint, so this recommendation is based on the likelihood of toxicity. Paint toxicity depends on the individual solvents and chemicals in the paint, as well as exposure. While it’s assumed that household painting has a low exposure level, the safest course of action is to seriously reduce your exposure to the fumes from these paints. Even better? Find someone else to handle the painting.

Related article(s): 11 Things to Avoid During Pregnancy – What Not to Do

Avoid hot yoga. As we mentioned earlier, exercising during pregnancy is fine, but research has shown that too much heat can be detrimental to the baby. Hot yoga = Hot no-ga. But feel free to continue doing other types of yoga during pregnancy — it’s a safe, fun way to exercise during any trimester.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”22px”][vc_column_text]

Warning signs   of injury during pregnancy

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Any of the symptoms listed below could indicate a health problem. Please contact your physician or midwife immediately and report any additional symptoms you are experiencing. The warning signs include:

• Any amount of bright red vaginal bleeding

• Persistent abdominal pain, especially with nausea and vomiting

• Fever above 100℉

• Severe, persistent nausea with or without vomiting

• Fainting or dizziness

• A visual disturbance (blurring, spots or double vision)

• A sudden swelling or puffiness of face, hands, or feet

• Pain or burning when urinating

• Sudden increase in thirst with little or no urination for a day

• Foul smelling or irritating vaginal discharge

• A decrease or change in fetal movement during a 12- to 24-hour period

• A fall, accident or injury, even when the abdomen is not involved

• Headaches not relieved by Tylenol

• Visual changes (i.e. spots in your field of vision or “floaters” that do not go away)

Related article(s): Safety Concerns During Pregnancy; Can bumping my pregnant belly hurt the baby?

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