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Air travel when you are pregnant requires a little more planning than usual. While the second trimester is generally considered the best time to travel, it is important to check with your doctor that there are no medical reasons not to fly before booking your tickets. Some women experience abnormal bleeding and an increase in their blood pressure, in which case the doctor would normally suggest that flying should be avoided and in particular if any swelling has been experienced.
While it is almost universally accepted that it is safe for expectant mothers to fly up until the thirty sixth week of pregnancy, it is best to check this detail with the airline involved. Carrying a medical certificate if the pregnancy is more than 24 weeks pregnant is recommended. It is also worthwhile checking in as early as possible as there is a greater chance of being issued a bulkhead seat for additional room or aisle seat where it will be easier for access.
People traveling to Africa or Asia would normally be expected to have inoculations for hepatitis A and B but expectant mothers are advised against those for typhoid despite the fact that there is not evidence to support that there will be any damage to the fetus. Although countries that have a malaria problem should be avoided.
Certain restrictions also apply if there are young children and if those under six are involved then vaccinations for typhoid and hepatitis A are not advisable in Australia. Not only is the destination important but personal circumstances so pregnant women should check with their doctor as to what vaccinations they will require.
Always refuse to drink water unless it is bottled with an unbroken seal and the same goes for ice in drinks if you want to avoid contracting hepatitis A or typhoid. Raw vegetables and fruit should also be avoided (unless the fruit has a tough outer skin like bananas for instance) and keeping hands sterilized with anti bacterial soap is necessary before consuming any food. A handy travel accessory is the small 60ml gel bottles of antibacterial hand wash that dries almost immediately on contact with the air but does mean that special washing facilities aren’t required before eating.
Air travel also increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis which is statistically more likely in pregnant women so to guard against this it is recommended that expectant women wear the special flight socks or tight that are now available. While in flight do the recommended exercises described in the in-flight magazine and to walk around the plane regularly when the seatbelt signs are off.
It is also worth an expectant mother to check on her insurance policy before she flies as some place further restrictions especially after the twenty sixth week of pregnancy. Travel insurance that covers you and the pregnancy after 26 weeks is available from some insurers but it is assessed on a case-by-case basis and excludes cover for the birth of a baby.
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