Flying While Pregnant
If you find yourself expecting a child then any vacation you may have planned may need to re-booked or changed if air travel is involved. The gynecologist would be the first person to contact to see if any special arrangements need to be made and if there are any medical reasons why it is unsafe to fly. 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.
Whilst 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. Some airlines will actually ask a pregnant woman if they have a certificate of pregnancy which is usually advisable after twenty four weeks.
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. If the destination is in Africa or Asia then a vaccination against hepatitis A and B would normally be recommended but pregnant women are warned against typhoid inoculations even though there isn’t any medical evidence that it can harm the unborn child so the best advice is for the woman to speak with the doctor first.
However, there are many places where malaria is still a problem and it is recommended that they be missed out as contracting malaria when pregnant an cause problems. Children under six also have restrictions in Australia where it isn’t recommended for them to have vaccinations against hepatitis A or typhoid.
To be on the safe side it is advisable to check with a medical professional before any travel is arranged when a woman is pregnant. A simple way to avoid getting hepatitis A and typhoid is to avoid drinking water that has not come from a sealed bottle and ice where tap water has been used.
It is also inadvisable to eat fruit and raw vegetables and before eating wash your hands with an antibacterial hand wash. It is always worth carrying a purse sized bottle of antibacterial gel hand sanitizer, for example, which air-dries in seconds, has a fresh aloe vera fragrance and is available from most drugstores in small travel packs.
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. Of course it is also a good idea to walk around on a flight whenever it is safe to do so.
Travel insurance policies will cover costs relating t the pregnancy up to twenty six weeks but even policies that cover travel related claims after that period will not include those for the pregnancy itself.
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