Evaluating pregnant occupant restraints: the effect of local uterine compression on the risk of fetal injury

In order to develop effective restraint systems for the pregnant occupant, injury criteria for determining fetal injury risk must be developed. This study presents computer simulations of a 30 week pregnant occupant that illustrate the importance of local uterine compression on the risk of fetal inj...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual proceedings - Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine 2004, Vol.48, p.103-114
Main Authors: Duma, Stefan M, Moorcroft, David M, Stitzel, Joel D, Duma, Greg G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidents, Traffic
Biomechanical Phenomena
Computer Simulation
Female
Fetus - physiology
Humans
Other Occupants and Drivers
Pregnancy
Prenatal Injuries
Pressure
Seat Belts
Uterus - physiology
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Summary:In order to develop effective restraint systems for the pregnant occupant, injury criteria for determining fetal injury risk must be developed. This study presents computer simulations of a 30 week pregnant occupant that illustrate the importance of local uterine compression on the risk of fetal injury. Frontal impact simulations with a range of velocities and belt positions were used to identify the best correlation between local uterine compression and peak strain measured at the uterine-placental interface. It is suggested that future pregnant dummy development and specifically pregnant injury criteria should be based on local uterine compression relative to the placental attachment location.
ISSN:1540-0360