are pregnant women no longer able to fly in planes?
And if you're jetting off on vacation you can take advantage of traveling light, with no stroller, diapers or toys in tow. If you're carrying one baby and you've had an uncomplicated pregnancy then you can fly up to 36 weeks of pregnancy. However, airlines are sometimes unwilling to carry women at the end of their third trimester because of the risk of premature labour. There is a lot of myth and mystery that surrounds pregnancy still, and it is very difficult to sort out what the details in any individual case may be.. The new guidelines point out that while flying is safe for most pregnant women, there is some need for caution. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), healthy pregnant women can fly safely until their 36th week. The best time for pregnant women to fly is between weeks 18 and 24, since the chances of miscarriage and premature labor are both relatively low then. So if you’ve already made travel plans, you don’t have to rush to change them just because you’re pregnant – but read on for more information and helpful hints. After 37 weeks, a woman may go into labour at any time. The leaflet gives advice on the side-effects of flying when pregnant. These include swelling of the legs due to a build-up of fluid, nose and ear problems caused by changes in air pressure and motion sickness making any pregnancy nausea a little bit worse. In addition, you should not fly in small planes that don't have pressurized cabins. Of course, airline policies aren't the only restrictions you should consider. It never takes long to get uncomfortable in an airplane seat, and it takes even less time when you're pregnant. Women who should not fly at any time during their pregnancy are those at risk for complications or pre-term delivery, including women with poorly controlled diabetes, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, or sickle cell disease — which can be worsened by high altitude. Northwest Airlines, for example, currently requires a note from a physician if a woman seeks to fly within one month of the due date. At the time Heilman flew, 34 weeks was the cutoff. Her daughter Katie, now 4, was delivered 400 miles from home by Caesarean section. Previously, the advice for women with multiple pregnancies was that the safest time to fly was before 34 weeks, but this has been changed to 32 weeks to tie in with International Air Transport Association (IATA) recommendations. The safest time to fly during pregnancy is before 37 weeks or, if carrying twins, before 32 weeks, new advice says. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says flying is not harmful during a low-risk pregnancy, but there may be side-effects. A woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy or one who has had any notable complications should not travel at any time while pregnant. Flying itself may be safe, but an airborne plane miles from solid ground (not to mention a hospital or doctor’s office!) is not where you want to be should a problem occur.
No, healthy pregnant women can fly safely until their 36th week.