In The Venue

Pregnant women are always concerned about flying in their present state. Flying when pregnant is considered safe unless you consider your stages of pregnancy and are more than 36 weeks pregnant. If you are close to that time, you have to get permission from your doctor before boarding the flight. If you have a healthy and normal pregnancy and the delivery is not close, you should not alter your plans. But, if your condition is complicated and you have extreme nausea, pre-term labor, hypertensive disease or placenta plevia, you should not fly. There are a few tips to follow for making the trip more comfortable and less stressful for you .

• It is better to check in at least ninety minutes before, if you are traveling domestically and two hours before boarding an international flight. In case you are finding it difficult to navigate in the airport, take a ride on an electric cart or request for a wheelchair. You can also book a wheelchair in advance, that too free of cost.
• Many airlines have a specific policy for pregnant travelers, you can call them or get the information on their website. Airlines have a specific team to assist pregnant as well as disabled passengers, ask about it. The traveling restrictions for pregnant ladies can depend on whether you are traveling over water or land.
• Usually there is no problem if you are flying in early pregnancy i.e. the flying first trimester pregnancy, until you are not comfortable during the journey or your airline has a problem with it. The second trimester is said to be safest time to fly because the difficult months have already passed and the risk of premature labor is not there.
• If you are flying third trimester pregnancy, it may cause a problem for you. Check the rules and regulations of your airline to find out the closest due date when you could be allowed to fly. Mostly, airlines don’t prefer you to fly when your due date is only a week away. Along with this, while flying in the third trimester, you might have to show the doctor’s approval letter to get permission to travel.
• The place where you sit is important while traveling and be sure that your journey should be very comfortable. Ask for an aisle seat that is near to the washrooms, as you will be required to walk a minimum distance. If the flight is not fully booked request for one or two empty seats to stretch out.
• Extra room in the first or business class is good for you, as you won’t be able to sit in an exit row and fasten a seat belt.
• Wearing loose and comfortable clothes will make flying an enjoyable experience for you. In order to have proper blood circulation from the ankles to the heart or lungs, you can also wear compression stockings. Move around after sometime to have a good blood flow. You can also rotate your ankles or flex your feet while sitting.
• Do not fly in small planes, as they don’t have a pressurized cabin.

There are some risks involved with pregnant travelers:

Thrombosis – Relation with Pregnancy and Flying

The chances of developing thrombosis in a pregnant woman are higher. Although, it is still not completely clear if flying can increase that risk. Lengthy traveling can develop a risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Along with this, lesser intake of fluid can make you more prone to dehydration, another factor for DVT. It is always better to move around in the flight, getting a bulk seat, extra legroom and more intake of liquid.

When you Have Twins

Do not take flying into consideration if you are pregnant with twins as the risk of labor is more in this situation. If you are flying with twins, plan a trip much earlier than 36 weeks time. Consult your doctor before making a plan of flying third trimester pregnancy, as he understands the situation better than you.

It is safe to fly during pregnancy, but you do have to take some precautions at your end. Avoid going on long flights during the third trimester. It is better to go for an overall check up before boarding the flight, as you will come to know if there is any complication in your pregnancy.

In general, flying in a pregnant state is not a problem. Most of the pregnant women think that air pressure developed on the flight could have an adverse affect on the child, but it’s not true to a certain extent. It is also said that the X ray machine used for scanning travelers harms the child, which is also far away from reality. Don’t be afraid of flying in early pregnancy. The only thing you should do is obeying the safety measures to make the trip more comfortable.