Many pregnant women will wonder if it is safe to fly during pregnancy. Is flying in the first trimester as safe as flying in the second or third trimester? There are so many questions we will ask because we only want what is best for our unborn baby and ourselves.

Opposite to what is actually thought, flying during early pregnancy is safe. This is assuming you are having a healthy normal pregnancy. You should avoid flying if you have any cardiovascular problems. A worry for some women is not necessarily the flight, but going through the metal detectors in the airport before even boarding the plane. You do not need to worry about this as these are not x-ray machines and will not cause any harm to you or your unborn child. What is a concern is that the symptoms you might experience during your first trimester might be increased when you embark on a flight. If you are suffering from morning sickness, this may be increased when you are flying the skies. Many pregnant women will choose not to fly at this stage of their pregnancy because of this.

Your second trimester is the safest time during your pregnancy to fly. At this stage, your morning sickness is not as severe as the first trimester, your risk of miscarriage has decreased and there is not a high chance of you going in to labour. This is probably the time in a woman’s pregnancy that she feels the most comfortable to fly.

You should not forget about your circulation. Poor circulation can affect any pregnant woman. It is commonly
known that flying affects our circulation. This combined with pregnancy increases your chances of developing a blood clot. There are a few things you can do to decrease these chances. Firstly, you should wear loose fitting clothing. Make sure to keep moving on the flight. Take a walk up and down the aisles once every hour. When you are seated, you should rotate your ankles and move your feet up and down. If you happen to have an empty seat beside you, take advantage of this and put your feet up. You should increase your intake of water to ensure you keep yourself hydrated. By doing this, you will make sure you walk around because you will need to go to the loo. Wearing compression stockings is a very good idea. This will keep the blood moving to your heart and lungs from your ankles.

It is recommended that pregnant women keep their seatbelts fastened at all times during a flight. When checking in, you might want to ask for an area with a bit more room. The aisle seats usually provide this. A pregnant woman will not be allowed to sit at the emergency exit where there is probably the most leg room. The reason for this is that in the event of an emergency the person seated here is required to open the heavy emergency door. You might be required to assist the crew without doing any damage to yourself.

Flying in your third trimester is safe. Don’t rule out the chance of going in to premature labour. If you are having contractions on the flight, make sure that you inform the flight staff. You should make sure that you have a medical contact at your destination and carry a copy of your medical records with you.