If the patient is pregnant and needs to be on a backboard, they should be placed on which side?

• A. Right
• B. Left
• C. Front
• D. Rear

Answer: (B)

When a pregnant patient lies flat, the uterus can press on the inferior vena cava, reducing venous return to the heart, lowering maternal blood pressure, and risking fetal perfusion. Turning or tilting to the left relieves that pressure by shifting the uterus off the IVC, improving both maternal hemodynamics and placental blood flow. On a backboard, you achieve this left-sided relief by placing a left lateral tilt (a wedge under the right hip or positioning the patient on the left side). The left side best addresses the vascular compression; the front or rear positions don’t address it, and the right side doesn’t relieve the IVC compression as effectively.