FLYING FOR PREGNANCY WOMAN
The travel airlines usually have some regulation for refuse certain kind of
pregnancy woman to fty with thier airplane. Generally in 34-36 weeks pregnancy.
Earlier in the pregnancy (maybe 28 weeks onwards) airlines may ask you to supply
a doctor's letter. These conditions vary considerably, so please check with
your travel agent or the airline. Some airlines will not allow the pregnant
woman to get airline travel for 30 days before your due date, the American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends women do not fly after
in 36th week of pregnancy.
Once in the air, the biggest risk to the pregnant traveller is thrombosis -
the formation of a blood clot in a leg vein. Thrombosis is a rare, but very
serious complication of any pregnancy. The risk of thrombosis is increased by
immobility and dehydration. In order to reduce the risk of thrombosis you should:
- Try to book a bulkhead or aisle seat to give you some extra leg room
- Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids before and during the flight
- Get up and walk about for a few minutes every hour or so
More information about Air Travel for Pregnancy
For some reason, traveling by airplane should take by every person, also for
pregnant woman. Either for business or personal matter, this is something for
pregnant woman know that air travel not always save for some age of pregnancy.
That's why we should consult with the doctor to make sure for safety or the
pregnancy to fly.
For one, air travel with the dry air in the plane, eating on the run and irregular
schedules predisposes to dehydration. Added to this prolonged sitting, especially
in a cramped position, tends to cause blood clots in the legs and pelvis. Pregnant
women are particularly prone to blood clots anyway so this is a particular hazard
to them. To prevent dangerous blood clots we recommend drinking plenty of fluids
but not caffeine or alcohol as these aggravate dehydration.
The pregnant woman also advise for sitting in an aisle seat so that there is
room to stretch and more freedom to move around. Or if possible upgrade to business
class for the same reason. The extra leg room can also help one prevent the
swollen feet which so often complicate pregnancy. One should not sit more than
90-minutes without getting up and walking around. (Hopefully a brisk fluid intake
will make bathroom trips necessary more often than this.) On smoking flights,
seating should be in the non-smoking section to avoid nausea as well as the
exposure to cigarette smoke.
The extra fluid intake may also help to prevent constipation--another aggravating
difficulty in pregnancy. The stomach and intestines are apt to not empty well
during pregnancy, allowing gas to build up in the intestinal tract. This gas
can cause uncomfortable swelling as altitude increases so it is best to wear
loose-fitting clothes.
Pregnancy, with its increased demands on the heart, can make high altitudes
different. As commercial airliners are pressurized, airline flights are not
a problem from this standpoint unless one has pre-existing heart or lung disease.
But traveling to high altitude destinations could be an added stress and should
not be undertaken without an obstetrician's advice. The increased cardiac demands
will also cause fatigue so it is a good idea to allow extra time for rest.
One probably unfounded worry about air travel is radiation exposure. With the
thinner air, more of the sun's radiation can reach us. It is unlikely, though,
that anything short of daily trans-Atlantic flights in the first trimester would
allow enough radiation exposure to be harmful.
Many of the complications of pregnancy should cause one to think twice before
undertaking long trips, however. Bleeding during any trimester, whether from
a threatened abortion, placenta previa or whatever the cause should make one
hesitant to be in a situation where prompt medical attention is not available
and there is not a safe blood supply. Similarly premature labor or conditions
which predispose to it (such as twins, polyhydramnios or a history of premature
labor) would be considered a good reason to stay home near one's medical provider.
Diabetes during pregnancy, when tight blood sugar control is so important, may
be a good reason not to be changing time zones and thus needing to recalculate
insulin dosages. And so it goes. A routine pregnancy is rarely a reason not
to travel. But a complicated one usually is.
Finally, it is wise to check airline rules and regulations when traveling while
pregnant. For the reasons mentioned above, many airlines will not allow pregnant
travelers to fly beyond a certain gestational age or without a note from their
physician. There is no standard rule which applies to all airlines. You will
need to check with your particular carrier. And get it in writing for it is
not unusual for the agent at the gate not to know the rules.
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