Flying while pregnant? Here are 4 things you need to know

It’s perfectly normal to be a little anxious about flying, even if you’re a person who does it all the time.

In these post-pandemic times the anxiety may be more acute than before.

Will you have to deal with airport chaos? Will your checked bag make it to the other side? Will you get a wink of sleep on board?

Understandably, pregnant women considering flying may have a host of extra concerns about comfort and the potential risks to themselves and the unborn child.

According to Dutch airline KLM, there is no scientific evidence of increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects or premature birth in flying.

The foetus is well protected from changes outside the mother’s body, such as variations in air pressure and humidity in the aircraft cabin.

Here, however, are some things to consider:

1. Destination diseases

As always when you travel, it’s important to pay attention to the health advice regarding your destination. Are vaccinations required? Are there precautions you need to take against certain illnesses that may be a risk factor, such as malaria? This advice may differ for pregnant women, especially for destinations where infectious diseases are a risk. In some cases, travel to a country could even be discouraged because of such risks. Pregnant women or women who plan to conceive should avoid travelling to countries with outbreaks of Zika virus. There are none now, but you can find updated information for your destination here.

2. How far into your pregnancy you can fly?

The advice of the US Mayo Clinic, a non-profit academic medical centre, is that  commercial air travel before week 36 of pregnancy is safe, provided the mother has had no health issues or complications during the pregnancy. If there have been complications, it’s best to get a doctor’s advice on whether you can fly.

KLM’s recommendation is that women more than 32 weeks pregnant avoid flying. The airline also discourages flying — for mother and child — during the first week after birth. If you are expecting a multiple birth, the airline recommends you consult your doctor before any flight. It is recommended that you carry a recent pregnancy statement with information about the due date and other relevant data. In many countries airline staff may want to see that. Regulations differ from one airline to the next, so always check before you travel.

3. Cosmic radiation

Cosmic ionising radiation (or cosmic radiation) comes from outer space. A very small amount of this radiation reaches Earth, but at flight altitudes passengers are exposed to higher levels. In a normal situation, the level of exposure on a return trans-Atlantic flight is comparable to the same amount of exposure as when you have a chest X-ray. As with X-rays, radiation can cause damage to genetic material inside a cell. However, there is no evidence that a trans-Atlantic flight increases the risk of abnormalities. To be on the safe side, avoiding frequent air travel when pregnant is recommended.

4. Increased risk of thrombosis

Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which blood clots can form in the deep veins of the body, particularly the legs. In an aircraft, dehydration caused by the dry air may thicken your blood. In addition, the relative immobility of sitting in a confined space for a long period can cause blood to collect in your legs. If you are pregnant you already run a greater risk of developing thrombosis and flying will increase this risk.

There are a few things you can do to prevent or reduce the risk of thrombosis:

• during long flights, walk around the cabin every 15 to 30 minutes;
• do simple stretching exercises while you are seated;
• only sleep for short periods — up to 30 minutes at a time;
• move around after every nap;
• drink plenty of water;
• avoid alcohol and caffeine (which you will hopefully be doing anyway); and
• wear compression stockings.

All in all, with a little extra preparation, the same thing applies as always: Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight.