Air Travel in Pregnancy
Air travel in pregnancy is safe unless you are having complications that are affecting your pregnancy. Your doctor should be able to advice you on this. The condition that we worry about the most is getting blood clots. Pregnancy itself puts a woman at risk of getting blood clots. During a long haul flight, there are long periods of sitting and not moving that will make this risk higher. There are ways to avoid this by making sure that you are well hydrated – drink water or other fluids regularly and move your legs or take a walk every 30 mins to an hour. There are also special socks that can be worn during the flight called compression stockings or TED stockings.
In patients with additional risk factors for blood clots, your doctor may suggest that you take a heparin injection (blood thinners) to reduce the risk. It is also important to wear loose and comfortable clothes while on the flight.
Most airlines will have guidelines with regards to until when a pregnant woman is allowed to fly and this differs between airlines. It is best to check this prior to planning your trip. You will also need a “fit to fly” letter from your doctor before you can fly.
The best thing is to seek advice from your doctor prior to planning a trip by plane.
https://www.rcog.org.uk/for-the-public/browse-all-patient-information-leaflets/air-travel-and-pregnancy-patient-information-leaflet/
