IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL BY AIR IN PREGNANCY ?

Hi there ,

We know, there are so many myths about air travelling while being pregnant. In addition to this , we see different airlines have different rules regarding it , so we dont have a clear cut idea upto which stage we can safely travel by air and in what conditions we can't..This results in exaggerating confusion among the pregnant ladies. Fair enough if you can have an appointment with your gynecologist before making a decision, but this sometimes isnot possibe due to many reasons, and you may end up cancelling plans or missing important events .

So here's some important general information regarding that , which can solve many queries.

In a normal "low-risk" pregnancy , travelling by air is farely safe upto 36 weeks of gestation. As a general rule , short duration flights ( < 4 hrs ) and lower altitudes (e.g <32000 ft ) pose virtually minimal risks to the pregnancy , both in terms of cosmic radiation exposure and wellbeing of mother and baby.

What Can Go Wrong To Me Or My Baby During Air Travelling?

Here are briefly mentioned the potential risks associated with Air travel :

• Radiation exposure:

Annual safe radiation exposure limit for a pregnant woman is around 1 millisievert. Cosmic radiation exposure during a single high altitude flight is less than 0.005 mSV/hour.

• Maternal / fetal Hypoxia:

In certain diseases , there is potential risk of temporary decreased oxygen supply to vital organs (e.g brain / heart ) .This can effect your baby also .

• Venous thrombosis:

risk of blood clots in the blood vessels. this can be life threatening in some cases.

• Preterm labour:

some patients can go into natural labour , which can put the baby at risks and complications. It is therefore recommended to get yourself evaluated by your healthcare provider before planning to travel , specially if you are having any pregnancy complication or any pre-existing ailment.

What Vaccines I Need To Take Before Travelling By Air?

This will depend on which area you are going to travel , as certain diseases are endemic in certain areas of the world. So see a doctor for this.

Instructions for Pregnant Patients Who Wish To Travel by Air:

• Wear comfortable easy clothes and shoes

• use of elastic compression stockings is advised for long haul flights (on medical advice)

• keep yourself well-hydrated during flight .

• periodic movement of legs / short walk during flight to keep the circulation normal.

• lesser caffeine intake

• use seat belts

I hope this article was helpful . For further information on the current or other health related issues , feel free to inbox me or visit my facebook page:

https://web.facebook.com/Dr-Quratulain-Gynecologist-103339791379106