Can Riding a Go Kart Cause Miscarriage? The Truth Behind the Myth
Riding go karts can be an incredibly fun and exhilarating experience. It’s something that many people, including pregnant women, would enjoy doing. However, some pregnant women avoid go karts because they have heard that riding them can cause a miscarriage. This myth has been circulating for quite some time, but is there any validity to it? In this post we will finally answer once and for all, “Can riding a go kart cause miscarriage?”
What is a Miscarriage?
When we first start to answer the question, can riding a go kart cause miscarriage, we should discuss what a miscarriage actually is. Because whether or not it’s a good idea to go go-kart riding while pregnant is totally different than whether or not it’s likely to cause a miscarriage.
So let’s talk about what a miscarriage is.
A miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy within the first 20 weeks of gestation. It usually occurs, but is not limited to, the first trimester of pregnancy.
There are many reasons why a miscarriage can happen and most of them are totally natural, such as chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal imbalances, or maternal conditions like infections or blood clotting disorders.
While a miscarriage can be devastating to the mother and family it is actually very common. Somewhere between about 1 in 4 or 1 in 8 pregnancies end in miscarriage and most often it is your body knowing that for either the mother’s or baby’s health concerns, this fetus wouldn’t come to term.
While miscarriages most often occur naturally, they can also be caused by a number of factors.
Related: Can eating clams while pregnant cause a miscarriage?
Concerns About Riding Go Karts While Pregnant
Secondly, let’s address the concerns pregnant women may have about go-karts.
Pregnancy can be a delicate time, especially in the first trimester. It’s a time when heeding extra caution is a great idea. There is limited science (though it has progressed a lot over the past decade) about prenatal health.
This spans everything from how your activity level during pregnancy affects your growing fetus for their entire lives, to exactly how much of each nutrient you need to add into your diet to grow a more healthy baby, to what drugs are safe or not to take during pregnancy, and more.
(If you are interested in learning more about how what you eat and how you exercise during pregnancy can impact the genetics of your growing baby and how to alter these things to grow the most healthy baby possible… I’d definitely pick up a copy of the Perfect Pregnancy Plan. It’s the most up-to-date and revolutionary prenatal program on the market.)
But how does riding go karts fit into prenatal health?
- Many women have heard that riding go karts causes miscarriage.
- You may have seen a sign at a go kart facility stating “Do not ride if you are pregnant.”
- You may have heard that all rides are off limits during pregnancy.
- You may have been at an amusement park and noticed that pregnant women shouldn’t ride things such as roller coasters, but now you are curious about less vigorous rides like driving a go-kart or bumper cars.
What are Go Karts?
In case you are a bit confused which ride exactly go karts are think back to Mario Kart. (Oops… am I dating myself?)
Bumper cars are connected to the ceiling with a pole and have a rubber bumper around them. They are specifically designed to be smashed into each other and cause quite a jolt.
While go-karts aren’t inherently designed to smash into each other, that happens quite often and they still have safety features to protect riders from injuries.
The goal of riding go karts is to win the race, not to smash into your buddy. But if smashing into your buddy is going to help you win the race, you can bet it’s going to happen.
Related: Is it safe to eat cinnamon while pregnant?
Physical Demands of Riding a Go Kart
While it’s not running a marathon, there are still physical demands of riding a go kart. In reality, go karts can be physically demanding, especially for those who are not used to it.
The vibrations and jolts can be uncomfortable, and a pregnant woman may experience discomfort in their back, neck, or pelvis. However, discomfort does not necessarily mean harm to the developing fetus.
Pregnant women are often advised to continue with their regular physical activity throughout pregnancy, as long as it is not posing any risks or discomfort to them. But does that include riding go karts?
Let’s see what the real dangers are when it comes to riding go karts while pregnant.
Can Riding a Go Kart Cause Miscarriage?
Due to the potential jolting and pressure that may result on your abdomen, there is a risk that riding a go kart can cause placental abruption, and in the worst-case scenario that can lead to miscarriage.
Every go-kart website and facility will advise pregnant women to not ride due to risk of placental abruption.
While this is not common at all, both that placental abruption has been caused by riding a go kart and that placental abruption subsequently causes a miscarriage, it is absolutely a possibility.
Is that a risk that is worth taking to you for a short bit of fun?
What is placental abruption?
Placental abruption is when the placenta disconnects from the uterus, whether fully or, more commonly, just partially.
You are probably aware that the placenta supplies the growing fetus with all the necessary nutrients to grow into a full-fledged adorable wriggling baby. If the placenta disconnects from the uterus, the fetus will die if you aren’t far enough along in pregnancy.
If the placenta partially disconnects from the uterus there is a chance that the baby will be fine, but you would then be considered a high risk pregnancy and probably be put on bed rest.
The fetus’ nutrition may also be compromised and it may not get enough oxygen and nutrients after a placental abruption. As we mentioned previously, nutrition during pregnancy can actually directly affect your baby’s genetic makeup, so it’s really important to be sure they are receiving the best nutrition possible.
If the placenta fully disconnects and you aren’t in the final weeks of pregnancy, the fetus will most often die.
RELATED: The perfect pregnancy plan for optimal fetal development
Why Pregnant Women Should Not Ride Go Karts
There is a high likelihood that you could ride a go kart while pregnant and the baby will be just fine.
But, if you choose to do that, you ARE risking incurring abdominal trauma. This can lead to placental abruption and in the worst case scenario, a miscarriage.
It is the safest option to avoid riding a go-kart while pregnant to avoid any possible complications for the mother and the baby. So use your pregnancy as one time to play it safe and consider avoiding things like riding go karts for a few months.