The Iowa departments of Public Health and Transportation announced a coordinated, statewide plan to encourage pregnant and postpartum women to buckle up.
A report on Iowa’s maternal mortality rate found that 18 percent of Iowa’s maternal deaths were from vehicle crashes. In 71 percent of the pregnant or postpartum women who died, the report found that they were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
“Buckling up through all stages of your pregnancy is the single most effective action you can take to protect yourself and your unborn child in a crash,” officials with the program said. “If you’re involved in a crash during pregnancy, even a minor impact could have major implications.”
Part of the state’s ZeroFatalitiesIowa initiative, the program will encourage seat belt use in pregnant women and new moms through a statewide social media campaign. Done in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, the Department of Transportation, The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, and Safe Kids Iowa, the campaign will remind soon-to-be moms and new moms that seat belts are safe for moms and babies.
The campaign begins on July 1 and ends on Sept. 30, 2020.