Abstract
To investigate seatbelt wearing and to perform effective safety education, we conducted questionnaire surveys of pregnant women. The subjects were 82 women in early to late pregnancy who visited obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinics. Most of the women （98.8%） wore a seatbelt while riding a vehicle, but one woman in the late term of pregnancy who mostly sat in the rear seats did not wear a seatbelt. Among pregnant female seatbelt wearers, 76.5% correctly placed the seatbelt, however, 23.5% positioned the seatbelt inappropriately. The prevalence of correct seatbelt use is significantly higher in women in the late term of pregnancy than those in the early term of pregnancy （p 0.05）. With regard to inappropriate methods of use, “the lap belt crossing over the abdomen” was most common （31.6%） followed by “the shoulder belt crossing over the abdomen” （26.3%） and “the lap belt crossing over the thighs” （21.1%）. When these methods are used, the seatbelt compresses the protruding abdomen, or the passenger is insufficiently restricted in the event of a collision. Even when wearing seatbelts, pregnant passengers may suffer from severe injuries in a vehicle collision similar to those that occur when not wearing a seatbelt. Although the importance of wearing a seatbelt is widely recognized, knowledge of correct seatbelt wearing methods for pregnant women is not widely understood. Accordingly, correct seatbelt-positioning techniques for pregnant women and their families should be promoted through educational venues such as mother’s classes, parenting classes, or during outpatient care by midwives.
