[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/what-to-do-if-youre-in-a-car-accident-while-pregnant\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/what-to-do-if-youre-in-a-car-accident-while-pregnant\/","headline":"What to Do if You\u2019re in a Car Accident While Pregnant","name":"What to Do if You\u2019re in a Car Accident While Pregnant","description":"Being in a car accident is frightening, but this fear is doubled when you\u2019re pregnant. Changes in the body during pregnancy can make women more susceptible to injury. Additionally, a crash during pregnancy can hurt the child you\u2019re carrying. This article helps women and their families understand the unique dangers and injuries that even minor […]","datePublished":"2026-02-18","dateModified":"2026-02-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/author\/collinslaw\/#Person","name":"Collins Law, LLC","url":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/author\/collinslaw\/","identifier":6,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a6e04e58af50fddc8c89d2cf93e91d793283aa66a182aacf52f7e501c67094d7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a6e04e58af50fddc8c89d2cf93e91d793283aa66a182aacf52f7e501c67094d7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Collins Law, LLC","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/header-firm-logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/header-firm-logo.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Collins-Law-Pregnant-Car-Accident.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Collins-Law-Pregnant-Car-Accident.jpg","height":4160,"width":6240},"url":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/what-to-do-if-youre-in-a-car-accident-while-pregnant\/","about":["Auto Accidents"],"wordCount":1026,"articleBody":"Being in a car accident is frightening, but this fear is doubled when you\u2019re pregnant. Changes in the body during pregnancy can make women more susceptible to injury. Additionally, a crash during pregnancy can hurt the child you\u2019re carrying.This article helps women and their families understand the unique dangers and injuries that even minor car accidents can cause during pregnancy. It also explains how pregnancy can complicate your personal injury claim. Finally, it helps pregnant women understand how an Alabama car accident attorney can help.Injuries and Risks to the Mother and the Pregnancy After a Car AccidentPregnancy changes the body in many ways. Here\u2019s how it can affect the mother during a crash.Looser connective tissueDuring pregnancy, a hormone called relaxin loosens the body\u2019s ligaments and other connective tissues. This allows the body to stretch as the baby grows. However, ligaments also keep the body \u2013 especially joints \u2013 stable. Normally, when the body experiences a jolt, the surrounding ligaments and muscles work harder to stabilize the area. But the looser ligaments of pregnancy mean that joints in the neck, spine, and elsewhere are not fully able to absorb the shock of impact during an accident. As such, pregnant women are more susceptible to injury during accidents.Seat belt issuesSeat belts are designed to rest across the shoulder and hips. However, as a pregnant belly grows, seat belts can start to sit higher than they should. As a result, pregnant women are at higher risk for abdominal and lower back injuries, sometimes called \u201cseat belt syndrome.\u201dShifted center of gravityAs your pregnancy adds weight, your body adapts by moving it forward. This shift in weight changes your balance and posture, making it easier to strain the neck, back, and hips during a crash.Masked Pain After a crash, not all injuries appear immediately. Inflammation \u2013 your body\u2019s injury response \u2013 can cause swelling that can keep injuries hidden. Pregnancy often causes fluid buildup in tissues.After a crash, this fluid can lead to additional swelling that can increase inflammation and lead to symptoms like pain, numbness, or tingling showing up hours or days after the accident.The fetus also faces several risks. In fact, the uterus doesn\u2019t even need to be directly hit for the unborn baby to be harmed. Sudden deceleration \u2014 like hitting your brakes hard to avoid a crash \u2014 can stress the uterus and placenta even in a minor accident.Injuries to the fetus can include:Placental abruptionDirect fetal trauma (e.g., fractures and organ injuries)Premature labor and birthOxygen deprivation (Hypoxia)Uterine rupture or lacerationMiscarriage\/StillbirthMedical Care, Monitoring, and Follow-Up After a Car Accident During PregnancyEveryone should see a doctor after a car accident \u2013 even a minor one. However, this is particularly true during pregnancy.After a crash, your medical team will make a treatment plan for you and the baby. What they do will depend in part on how far along you are in the pregnancy. For example, after 20 weeks, part of the plan might include fetal monitoring to check for contractions or changes in the baby\u2019s heart rate.In most cases, in addition to serious injuries, the doctors will look for concerning signs like early contractions, bleeding, abdominal pain, abnormal monitoring results, and high blood pressure.One test that is different during pregnancy is imaging. Tests like X-rays and CT scans use radiation that can harm both mother and child. However, your doctor may decide that the risk of radiation is less than the risk of not being able to treat your injury.\u00a0How Pregnancy Changes Your Car Accident ClaimTo win a personal injury case, you and your Alabama accident attorney will need to prove that the other driver was negligent. To do that, you\u2019ll have to prove your injuries. You\u2019ll also have to prove that the other driver had a responsibility to act in a reasonable or lawful way, that they instead acted in an unreasonable or unlawful way, and that their actions caused your injuries. If you can prove negligence, you\u2019ll be entitled to compensation for any economic, emotional, and other losses caused by the accident.Pregnancy can make this process more complicated. Insurance companies often try to blame your injuries on the pregnancy rather than the accident. They might also argue that it was a \u201cminor\u201d crash with no visible injuries. They may even suggest that because you had a healthy baby, no real harm occurred. If you don\u2019t keep all of your doctor\u2019s appointments, you\u2019ll give the insurance company the opportunity to argue that your injuries weren\u2019t that serious.Fortunately, documentation can help you respond to the insurers\u2019 claims. Your medical records will show exactly how the accident affected you and your baby. Keep records of all visits to the emergency room or urgent care, as well as any new or previously scheduled OB-GYN visits after the accident. Make special note of fetal monitoring, ultrasounds, or visits with prenatal specialists.Pregnancy also complicates compensation because in addition to the mother\u2019s health care costs, the responsible driver will also have to cover the costs of pregnancy care, such as fetal monitoring. While this is a good thing, in some circumstances, your financial losses may be more than the other driver\u2019s insurance policy. Your Birmingham accident lawyer can help you handle this situation.Protect Your \u2013 and Your Baby\u2019s \u2013 Rights After a Car Accident During PregnancyAt Collins Law, LLC, we understand how frightening and stressful a pregnancy-related car accident can be. We also understand how Alabama law applies to these cases and how insurance companies approach them. Our goal is to help you focus on your health and your pregnancy while we handle the legal side.If you have questions or concerns after a car accident during pregnancy, you don\u2019t have to face them alone. Our team can help you with workers\u2019 compensation and personal injury claims related to your car accident. Call us today at 205-588-1411 or use our online form to learn more about how we can help your family."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What to Do if You\u2019re in a Car Accident While Pregnant","item":"https:\/\/www.acollinslaw.com\/blog\/what-to-do-if-youre-in-a-car-accident-while-pregnant\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]