Without a doubt, most expectant mother’s will go to their OBGYN, an emergency room or an urgent care center after a car accident. The overall health of both the mother and her child as well as the outcome of the pregnancy may depend on these actions. Early detection of abnormalities with a pro-active approach goes a long way to ensuring a normal pregnancy after an auto accident.
It should be also noted that many pregnant women are involved in car accidents and proceed to give birth to healthy children and continue to experience a ‘normal’ pregnancy post-collision.
However, from time to time, an impact may cause significant harm to the unborn child or the mother-to-be.
If you are pregnant and just got in a car accident, there are some scenarios where accepting ambulance transport from the accident scene and treating at a local Emergency room IMMEDIATELY is critical to ensure the health of your unborn child. These scenarios include: 1) severe pain to the abdomen after the collision 2) the loss of consciousness 3) immediate vaginal bleeding or the 4) immediate leakage of fluid post-collision. If an ambulance is called to the scene, and you have experienced any of the above issues post collision, allow yourself to be taken via emergency medical transport. If an ambulance is not called to the scene and you experienced one the above issues, call one yourself. As much as possible, try to remain calm until help arrives.
After a visit to the ER or OBGYN, your doctor may tell you that your pregnancy is now ‘high risk’. High-risk pregnancies will require the mother-to-be to be proactive should abnormal symptoms occur. These abnormal symptoms may occur days or weeks later. If you are pregnant and just got in a car accident, seek help for the following symptoms.
- a significant change in the frequency in the baby’s movements
- a significant change in the strength of the baby’s movements
- vaginal bleeding or spotting
- persistent vomiting after the collision (especially if your morning sickness had already passed)
- pain in the abdomen
- pain in the shoulder
- dizziness or faintness
- sudden swelling in the face
- sudden swelling in the fingers
- unrelenting headaches
- leakage of fluid
- painful urination
I’m Ed Smith of the Edward A Smith Law Offices. I have been practicing personal injury law for thirty years and have obtained compensation for many mothers-to-be who experienced abnormal pregnancies after a car accident. If you are pregnant, your health and that of your child, is of utmost importance. Allow others to handle the stress of the personal injury claim for you. Please contact me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 to discuss your claim.
I want you to be comfortable with me and my staff. Please get to know my office better by reading what my past clients are saying on Google, Avvo or Yelp.
Image Attribution: By David Roseborough from Los Angeles, United States [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons