Dangers of flying during pregnancy

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy is a very important period in a woman's life. At this time, you need to take care of yourself as much as possible, be in a comfortable environment and avoid overwork. However, the rhythm of modern life does not always allow following these recommendations. Work often forces the expectant mother to remain an active participant in society until the very birth. This review will focus on whether it is possible to fly on an airplane during pregnancy.

Flying while pregnant: is it dangerous?

All over the world, doctors advise against flying during pregnancy. The body during the flight is under great stress due to pressure changes and many other factors. For the he alth of the expectant mother and child, traveling by plane can present several dangers at once.

Pregnant women feel even small pressure drops. Flying by plane after 7 months is not recommended. It is not known how the body will react to a sharp changeconditions. And premature birth will not be the worst consequence. The problem is that a doctor, medicines and the necessary equipment may not be on board the aircraft at the right time. If it is necessary to fly, then before the flight it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound scan. It would also be useful to ask the doctor to measure the cervix at the doctor's office. If the doctor recognizes these indicators as unsatisfactory, the flight will have to be abandoned.

Lack of oxygen

The level of carbon dioxide in the cabin during the flight strongly serves. For a he althy person, this condition is not particularly dangerous. However, in pregnant women, this phenomenon can cause some unrest. Cases of oxygen starvation of the baby immediately come to mind. In fact, everything is not so scary. According to the latest medical research, in a he althy woman with a normal pregnancy, low oxygen levels will not cause any negative consequences. Moreover, neither the expectant mother nor the child will notice the change in conditions at all. This is due to the fact that for a short flight time, the gas composition of the blood of a pregnant woman remains practically unchanged.

Blood congestion and venous disease

Perhaps the biggest risk of flying while pregnant is blood clots. The first question a mother-to-be should ask herself is whether she is willing to take that risk. According to statistics, pregnant women who endure this period in a comfortable environment are 5 times more likely to suffer from venous diseases than girls in the usual position. Thus, the state itselfbearing a fetus already increases the risk of a disease state.

General recommendations

If you still have to make a flight by plane during pregnancy, then you can avoid unpleasant consequences by using a few simple recommendations:

1. If possible, try not to buy an economy class ticket. It is better to pay extra, but to fly in comfort. Rigid seats and small distance between seats can lead to thrombosis.
2. To make it easier to fly while pregnant, wear compression stockings.
3. Try to drink more often. It is better to use ordinary water for this purpose.
4. Caffeinated beverages should be kept to a minimum.
5. During the flight, try to get up every hour and do a little warm-up.

Radiation on board

Some believe that the information about the radiation in the plane is not true. In fact, due to the fact that the aircraft during the flight is in an area with a small protective layer of the atmosphere, it can be attributed to objects with high radioactivity. However, if during pregnancy a woman made a flight no more than three times, you should not especially worry about this. This will not cause any harm to the fetus. The radiation level will be minimal. According to research, a person receives a radiation dose in a 7-hour flight that is half as much as during an X-ray.

Which week you can plan an airtravel?

Many are wondering how long it is possible to fly during pregnancy. It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. However, if you do need to fly while pregnant, be very careful with your timing. The safest in this regard is the period from 14 to 28 weeks.

Flying during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester will not harm either the mother or the baby. It is at this time that the condition of the fetus is stable. Travel in the first trimester can be complicated by toxicosis. Flying in the early stages is also unsafe because during this period the skeleton and internal organs are formed in the child. Excess load on the body during this period of time can lead to a failure in these processes. Under the most unfavorable set of circumstances, flying during this period of time can lead to fetal fading or miscarriage.

What else can be dangerous flying during pregnancy? The 3rd trimester is considered not the safest period in this regard. It is characterized by a high risk of placental abruption and preterm birth. In the later stages, a woman may also feel some discomfort during the flight. It is associated with frequent toilet urination and large belly sizes.

Before flying, it is mandatory for a woman to consult her doctor. Only he will be able to adequately assess the condition of the fetus and the pregnant woman.

WHO recommendations

Before flying, it is better to listen to the advice of professionals. The World He alth Organization has made some recommendations regarding flying during pregnancy.

According to them, you can not fly:

• after 36 weeks;
• for multiple pregnancy with the onset of the third trimester;
• if there are complications;
• during anemia;
• for preeclampsia.

Flying while pregnant in the 1st trimester can lead to miscarriage. Many airlines today require pregnant women to provide a certificate certified by a doctor no later than a week before the flight. In the document, the gynecologist must confirm in writing that the flight does not pose a danger to the expectant mother and child. When traveling, it is also worth taking an exchange card with you. Representatives of the airline may also be asked to sign a paper indicating that the organization does not take responsibility for the course of pregnancy during the stay on board and the he alth of the child and woman.

How well to transfer the flight in position?

Long flights while pregnant are not the best way to travel. It would be ideal to choose a different type of movement. If the flight during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester cannot be excluded, then you need to know some rules. By following them, you can make your trip as comfortable as possible.

The main ones:

1. Tickets are better to buy in business class. It has more spacious seats with the ability to adjust the back, so you can easilytake a nap and relax during the flight.
2. Choose a place near the aisle. There is better air circulation, and if necessary, you can walk around the salon.
3. For the flight, choose clothes made from natural fabrics. As for the style, it is preferable to use loose-fitting clothes.
4. It's better to take a few pillows with you to the salon. With their help, you can easily get into a chair.
5. Try to drink more liquids without dyes and gas. Plain water works best.
6. It is advisable to take a short walk around the salon from time to time.
7. Take seawater drops with you on the plane and rinse your nose periodically. This will help make breathing easier so that oxygen enters the body in full.

Truth or fiction?

Many moms-to-be are wondering if it's okay to take long flights while pregnant. Gynecologists usually give an ambiguous answer to this question. When conducting medical studies, no negative effects of flights on the fetus were revealed. At the same time, you should definitely take into account that the individual characteristics of the organism will play a decisive role in this matter.

When it comes to whether flying during pregnancy is dangerous, many immediately begin to think about the risk of losing a child. It is widely believed among the people that the use of air transport during an interesting position of a woman can lead to miscarriages or deviations in the development of the baby. Many also point out that the aircraft lacks the abilityprovision of qualified medical care. So in the event of an unforeseen situation, there is a risk of death for the child or mother.

It is also worth remembering that the flight may end in an explosion, accident, terrorist attack and other unforeseen events. In the event of a premature birth in a foreign country, problems with the recognition of citizenship may begin. You can list many more such horror stories that relate to air travel. Any form of transport, be it train, bus or car, is fraught with danger. Pregnancy is a normal state in a woman's life. And absolutely any factor can cause a miscarriage. Let's take a closer look at each of the myths.

Threatened miscarriage

At any stage of pregnancy there is a threat of losing a child. The most risky flight is considered during pregnancy in the 1st trimester. At this stage, the threat of miscarriage is mainly associated with the genetic predisposition of the mother. In addition to heredity, stressful situations, sexual intercourse and physical injuries can play a key role. It can be said that the very state of pregnancy creates the threat of miscarriage.

Women know that the loss of a baby can be triggered by an increased tone of the uterus. Among the factors that affect this condition, fatigue, stress, nervous or physical overstrain can be distinguished. Travel fees, waiting at the airport, excitement - all this can lead to a miscarriage. Try to minimize the amount of stressful situations. In this case, the danger of flying whenYou won't be afraid of pregnancy. If you suddenly feel pain or tension in the lower abdomen, you must urgently call the flight attendant for help. Lie down, try to raise your legs as high as possible, and use the medication recommended by your doctor.

What to do in case of premature birth? About 7 babies are born on airplanes every year. The reasons are the same: stress, fear of flying and pressure drops. These features lead to the fact that the child receives an insufficient amount of oxygen, there is a risk of thrombosis, exfoliation of the placenta and discharge of water. The baby may feel uncomfortable, hit hard in the stomach, and eventually begin premature labor. This is what flying during pregnancy can lead to. Reviews of gynecologists only confirm this. There are other reasons that can provoke premature birth. These are varicose veins, polyhydramnios, large fetuses, multiple pregnancies, incorrect position of the child, malformations, the age of the woman, poor nutrition, and so on.

It has not yet been determined whether the development of malformations in children and flights during pregnancy in the 1st trimester. Reviews of specialists often contain information that in this case the child may develop certain deviations. Some attribute this to the high levels of radiation in the cabin. But for one flight, deviations will not appear. The main factor in the development of congenital malformations is heredity. They also often occur with the wrong lifestyle or dangerous work. Flight attendants who are in an interesting position are forbidden to fly alreadyafter 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Qualification of personnel on board

Flying while pregnant can be fatal if the woman is not given timely assistance. Not every flight attendant has obstetric knowledge. The expectant mother must independently learn about all the features and choose the most reliable air carrier. On large liners, as a rule, at least one steward who has undergone obstetric training works. In the event of an unforeseen situation, he will be able to provide first aid to the woman in labor.

Conclusion

So is it ok to fly while pregnant? 2 trimester (reviews confirm this) is the optimal period for making such trips. Flying at later dates is not recommended by both doctors and airline specialists. This is due to a number of reasons. First of all, there are no elementary conditions for childbirth on the plane. Secondly, due to a violation of sanitary and hygienic standards, a newborn can catch a dangerous disease. Thirdly, a pregnant woman simply cannot concentrate on childbirth, which leads to various complications.

Another subtle point is the paperwork for the newborn. If the flight during pregnancy ended with childbirth in the territory of another state, there may be difficulties with citizenship. It is for this reason that airlines allow pregnant women on board only if they have a complete set of documents. As a rule, carriers worry aboutown reputation and try to resolve all conflict situations peacefully.

Starting from the first day of pregnancy, always try to take care of yourself, because the he alth of the unborn baby depends on your condition.