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. 2024 Aug 9;12(16):1590.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare12161590.

Comfortable Seatbelts for Pregnant Women with Twins in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study on Seatbelt Usage

Sachi Tsuchikawa  1 , Yui Miyajima  1 , Yumiko Tateoka  1 , Masahito Hitosugi  2
Affiliations

Comfortable Seatbelts for Pregnant Women with Twins in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study on Seatbelt Usage

Sachi Tsuchikawa et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Optimal seatbelt practices for pregnant women with twins at different gestational ages remain uncertain. To offer recommendations for a comfortable seatbelt system, this cross-sectional observational study explored seatbelt usage and driving habits among women with twins across various pregnancy stages through an online survey that explored driving conditions and comfortable seatbelts at different stages of pregnancy. Women who drove daily before their pregnancy with twins decreased their driving frequency as the pregnancy progressed. Correct seatbelt usage was lower and no seatbelt usage was higher among pregnant women with twins than those with singleton pregnancies. They adapted their seatbelt-wearing techniques to minimise pressure on the chest in the first and third trimesters and the abdomen from the second trimester onwards. The comfortable seatbelts were those that could alleviate belt pressure, featuring waist belts to reduce pressure, wider belts to avoid localised pressure, and shoulder belts resembling a backpack type. When wearing a seatbelt, avoiding pressure on the thorax and abdomen is key for pregnant women with twins. This study suggests that the suitability of driving for pregnant women with twins in their last trimester and the reliability of seatbelts designed for such women should be further examined and validated.

Keywords: driving; health education; pregnancy; seatbelt; twins; vehicles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patterns of seatbelt use. Participants indicated their seatbelt usage from seven patterns. The arrows indicate the more characteristic parts of the seatbelt wearing pattern. (a) Wearing a seatbelt that avoids the distended abdomen. (b) The lap belt crosses the distended part of the abdomen. (c) The lap belt crosses the upper abdomen. (d) The shoulder belt crosses the upper abdomen. (e) The shoulder belt is not worn. (f) The lap belt crosses the thighs. (g) The shoulder belt crosses the armpit.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of operating days in a week.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Feelings of discomfort while wearing a seatbelt (multiple responses).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Devices used while wearing a seatbelt (multiple answers).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Providing information on seatbelts (multiple responses, n = 82).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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