These days more and more woman are working until their pregnancy due date. I remember having one boss who was flying until the end of her second trimester. And she was such a workaholic she was also working on budgets while she was in labor and returned to work one week after her child was born.
Now, this is an extreme but there are some important things to note about air travel while you are pregnant.
Pregnant women should not travel after the 36th week. While some domestic airline carriers allow women to travel up to the eighth month of pregnancy, others may require a doctor’s note allowing you to fly during the last month of your final trimester.
For a pregnant woman, the perfect time to fly may be between weeks 14-27 or in the second trimester. During this period your energy levels are higher and risk for a miscarriage will be low and you are also past the first trimester of morning sickness.
All in all, air travel while you are pregnant is safe for you and your baby. But there are some things you can do to make your tip more comfortable and safer.
Here are several recommendations from the American Pregnancy Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, to make air traveling easier when you are pregnant:
• Secure your medical practitioner's permission.
• Travel on major airlines with pressurized cabins and avoid smaller private planes. If you must ride in smaller planes, avoid altitudes above 7,000 feet.
• Prior to departure, ask your prenatal caregiver to refer you to an obstetrician or midwife at your final destination.
• Bring a copy of your prenatal chart. This includes your age, date of last period, due date, past pregnancies, risk factors for disease, pregnancy related tests, ultrasounds, etc.
• Book an aisle seat. This will make trips to the bathroom easier and will also allow you to stretch your legs during a flight.
• Before your flight avoid carbonated drinks.
• Avoid any foods that produce gas before your plane.
• Always wear your seatbelt during your flight. The proper way to wear it is below your belly and low on the hipbones.
• Consult your health care provider about an anti-nausea medication if you are prone to air sickness.
• Locate the hospital or medical center nearest to your final destination.
In addition, pregnant women should avoid the full body scanners at the airport and request a physical pat down.
Sources:
"Pregnancy." Whattoexpect. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/ask-heidi/flying-restrictions.aspx
"Traveling by Plane When Pregnant." BabyCenter. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_traveling-by-plane-when-pregnant_6955.bc
"Pregnancy and Travel." American Pregnancy Association. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/travel.html
"Travel During Pregnancy." Acog.org. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq055.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20140321T1112597234
Reviewed March 24, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith