Pregnancy is undeniably one of the most beautiful and special times in a mother’s life, but it can also be very stressful. Daily choices you’ve never thought about before and habits you’ve taken for granted for years have to shift during these nine months, and extra care must be taken in almost everything you do.

We have a solution that can help pregnant women feel some peace of mind when it comes to one thing: choking. Let’s take a look at why our innovative first-aid device, The Dechoker, is so crucial to have on hand during pregnancy.

Pregnancy & The Heimlich Maneuver

The standard first-aid treatment for any typical adult who is choking is a combination of back slaps and abdominal thrusts, more commonly known as the Heimlich maneuver. You may have seen this treatment in action either in person or in the media, so you probably have a good idea of how forceful it can be.

Now picture the Heimlich maneuver being performed on a pregnant woman. It’s a scary thought, but until recently, there have been few alternatives for what to do when a pregnant woman is choking.

Doctors, emergency responders and other medical professionals recommend a modified version of the Heimlich for pregnant women that uses chest thrusts rather than abdominal thrusts. Some also recommend a different version where the woman lies down on the floor. Most agree that these modified versions are more difficult.

“Breast enlargement, diaphragm displacement, and the size and weight of a pregnant woman all contribute to difficulty in performing the traditional emergency maneuver to prevent choking during late pregnancy,” according to Dr. J. Gerald Quirk at a meeting of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Assembly of Southern California.

A Safe Alternative

Rather than risk injury to the mother or her unborn baby by using the Heimlich maneuver, we believe there is a safe alternative for pregnant women who are choking. The Dechoker is an easy-to-use device that relies on suction to remove an object from the airway, leaving the abdomen completely safe.

The Dechoker looks like a syringe with a face mask attached to the end. To use it, you simply apply the face mask over the nose and mouth of the choking victim, and pull back on the plunger. This creates suction that often clears the airway in just seconds without any risk of injury to the choking person — or her baby, in the case of a pregnant woman.

Our mission is that there should be a Dechoker device in every home, school, restaurant and public place in the world to stem the tide of unnecessary choking deaths. Until that goal comes to pass, though, we should at least focus on those who are most at risk. And because the Heimlich maneuver is harder to perform on pregnant women, they are among that high-risk group.

If you or a loved one are pregnant and want to ensure your safety in a choking emergency, we invite you to learn more about The Dechoker.