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 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.
Virginia Tech - Wake Forest, Center for Injury Biomechanics, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Stefan M
SM
Duma
David M
DM
Moorcroft
Joel D
JD
Stitzel
Greg G
GG
Duma
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D049188:Prenatal Injuries; D011312:Pressure; D012622:Seat Belts; D014599:Uterus / Q000502:physiology