Every girl sooner or later dreams of learning about motherhood. Pregnancy is not a reason to postpone a long-planned vacation. And if you go on vacation, it is best to go abroad, because there not only the level of service is much higher than in domestic resorts, but the climate is more favorable for the health of the future mother. But here, women bearing a child are faced with a very big problem, namely, with the road. Going by bus or rail is not the best way, because it is not only very long, but also involves a lot of inconvenience. Therefore, only air transport remains. Here, for many, the question arises as to whether pregnant women can fly on an airplane. Let's try to understand this in more detail and find out if the flight does not pose any threat to the health of the baby and his mother.
general information
At a later date of gestation, when the alleged birth is just around the corner, not a single expectant mother will fly anywhere. But in the first trimester there is no particular reason to deny yourself to soak up the sandy beach in the warm sunshine. Therefore, the most relevant question is: is it possible for pregnant women to fly a plane at an early date? However, even doctors cannot give a definite answer to it, since each individual case is unique and depends on many factors. Some people carry the flights very easily during the entire period of gestation, while for others it is rather difficult to do without pregnancy. In addition, the condition of the woman and the fetus must be taken into account.
Unfortunately, in medical practice there have also been such cases when, due to a single flight, a pregnant woman had a miscarriage. Therefore, before you go anywhere, it is recommended that you first consult your gynecologist. This is very important, since only specialists, based on the clinical picture of the state of the future mother, will be able to give a definite answer whether pregnant women can fly the plane in the early stages. However, as practice shows, in most cases, doctors dissuade their patients from any trips.
Are flights acceptable in the first three weeks of pregnancy?
Let’s take a closer look at the early flight of an “interesting position.” In the first three weeks, the vast majority of girls are not even aware of their pregnancy. The maximum that they can notice is a small delay in menstruation, which can be due to hormonal failure, intense heat, a busy work schedule or normal stress, which is quite commonplace these days. However, it was at this time that the question of whether pregnant women could fly on an airplane was very relevant. Indeed, in the first weeks, when the fetus has only recently been fixed on the wall of the uterus and has not yet matured enough, the probability of a miscarriage is extremely high. Many girls, having made one such flight, will never even know that they had a new life under their hearts.
What do the doctors say about this?
The main task of doctors is to do everything possible for the safe bearing and birth of a healthy child, so their opinion has to be taken into account. So what do they say about whether it is possible for pregnant women to fly a plane early? Most medical workers agree that spontaneous abortion is not connected in any way with external factors, in this case with air travel, but is due to various abnormalities in the development of the fetus. No matter how strange it sounds, doctors say that such miscarriages occur for the good, because it is not known with what deviations and vices children could be born.
What problems do girls face while flying?
Answering the question of whether it is possible for pregnant women to fly on an airplane, it is necessary to touch on the topic of what problems future mothers may face in flight. After all, they should have an idea of what awaits them and, in general, what to prepare for.
During the flight, even over short distances, the human body experiences overloads, so the girl’s well-being is affected not only by psychological, but also by physical factors. Most women, at the very thought of an airplane, fall into a jitzy, because they are embraced by unbridled fear, which is quite difficult to overcome. In addition, pressure drops, excessively dry air, as well as the need to sit in the same position for several hours without the ability to walk and, as they say, to stretch the bones, greatly affect one's well-being.
Aerophobia in pregnant women
Despite the fact that there are no travel prohibitions from doctors, many women nevertheless doubt whether it is worth the risk and go on a planned vacation. Information published in thematic magazines does not provide much clarity. When you ask different people about whether it’s possible for pregnant women to fly an airplane, the reviews are always very contradictory. If the girl was previously afraid of air transport, then during the bearing of the fetus, ordinary fear can even develop into her aerophobia. Therefore, in some cases, it is better to transfer or completely cancel your plans so as not to be subjected to too much stress and not to overload your nervous system. Moreover, in our country there are many wonderful places that can provide quality relaxation. You can also take a trip instead of an airplane on another form of transport, which is more familiar to the girl.
Air pressure drops
As everyone knows, very strong atmospheric pressure changes occur in air transport, which can pose a great threat to the expectant mother and her child. They can cause the placenta to separate from the uterine wall, which is fatal to the fetus. This is especially dangerous in the third trimester of pregnancy. If the necessary measures are not taken in time, then the baby will simply die in the mother’s tummy. This creates a threat to the life of the woman herself. If a pregnant woman has hemorrhoids or varicose veins, then there can be no talk of any flights at all, because due to pressure drops these diseases can worsen and take a more severe form.
Lack of oxygen
In many medical journals in publications about whether pregnant women can fly a plane in the 2nd trimester, they write about oxygen deficiency. And this is true, because at high altitude the amount of air in the cabin is slightly reduced. As a result, expectant mothers begin to panic against hypoxia. However, there is nothing wrong with this, and there is no threat to either her or the baby, except in cases where the woman has anemia. With this disease, it is forbidden to fly not only for pregnant women, but also for ordinary people.
Limited air mobility
So, is it possible for pregnant women to fly a plane in the 3rd week or not, we have already found out. If there is such an opportunity, then it is better to abandon the trip, so as not to once again put the fetus at risk. At later dates, the threat to the baby’s health is much less, but the expectant mother is faced with many inconveniences. One of them is the need to sit in the same position until the aircraft reaches its destination. It is very difficult to withstand, but the problem with this is that a woman as a result of this can develop various unpleasant consequences, the severity of which directly depends on the duration of pregnancy. If the girl’s back aches during the flight, she is advised to lie down, which is simply impossible to do on the plane.
Radiation problems
Few people think about it. Answering the question of whether it is possible for pregnant women to fly an airplane in the second trimester, it is worthwhile to dwell in more detail on the problem of radiation in the passenger compartment of the air transport, to which passengers are exposed. The fact of the matter is that irradiation at an altitude of several thousand kilometers is much larger than on earth, since radiation is scattered in thick layers of the atmosphere. Nevertheless, according to doctors, the radiation dose received in the sky is completely safe for human health and life, so if you fly to rest in another country several times a year, nothing bad will happen.
Vascular problems
There is an opinion that pressure drops can lead to the formation of thrombosis in pregnant women. This is confirmed by many experts and doctors. Moreover, girls in position face such a problem several times more often than others. How can you protect yourself? To get up several times during a flight to stretch. It also helps to put on special stockings on the legs, drink more liquid during the flight and, of course, do not abuse coffee drinks. If all the recommendations are followed and the future mother feels well, then do not worry and worry about the threat of thrombosis.
Flight preparation
So, you already know about whether pregnant women can fly on an airplane or not. If you nevertheless decide on this at your own peril and risk, then it is very important to know how to prepare yourself for the flight. It’s worth noting right away: if the destination is very far away and you have to spend more than four hours on the way to it, then it’s better to give up travel. The same can be said about if the expectant mother suffers from toxicosis, since a trip that is pleasant at first glance can turn into a real nightmare.
If you are in the third trimester, then before buying tickets it is recommended to see a doctor and undergo an examination. In this case, you will need to take a health certificate from him, since no airline will let you on board his plane without it. This is due to the fact that carriers do not want to take responsibility for the health and life of expectant mothers and their unborn children.
When ordering a ticket, select those seats that are located as close as possible to the cockpit. The best option would be the first row, because this way you can stretch your legs if they numb. The chair should be located near the aisle. If financial means allow, then buy a ticket in business class. There are larger chairs, so you can sit in them more comfortably. But in the tail section of the aircraft it is better not to fly, because the largest number of various pathogenic bacteria can accumulate there.
Before paying for a ticket, you should ask the airline representatives if they have any restrictions on the transportation of pregnant women, since not all companies provide their services to expectant mothers.
How to ensure a comfortable flight?
Can pregnant women fly a plane in the first trimester? As we have already found out, even though there is a slight risk of miscarriage, this is nevertheless allowed. Therefore, when packing your suitcases for your vacation, take care to make the flight as comfortable as possible. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing made from natural materials. If you have any problems with the veins of the lower extremities, then buy special tights in the store. During the flight, try to get up as often as possible to stretch your legs a little. If you want to avoid back sagging and pain in it, bring along a small pillow that you can put under your lower back. A mandatory kit also includes a first-aid kit, which should contain painkillers and pills for nausea. If you carefully prepare and take with you everything you need, the question of whether it is possible for pregnant women to fly a plane in the second trimester (and throughout the interesting situation) will not arise in your head.
Conclusion
This article gave the most detailed answer to the question of whether it is possible for pregnant women to fly on an airplane, as well as basic tips and recommendations on how to make the trip as pleasant and comfortable as possible. However, before buying a ticket, it is strongly recommended that you first undergo an examination and consult with your doctor, because only in this way will you be 100 percent sure that nothing will happen to you and your baby.
Do not forget to take care of yourself during pregnancy. After all, the health of the unborn child completely depends on your condition.