Flying during the third trimester
If you are planning to fly during your pregnancy, you must check the policy on pregnant travellers that your airline has.
Usually, if you are experiencing a healthy, normal pregnancy, airlines will let you fly up until your eighth month, bringing you well into your third trimester. The exception is if you are expecting multiple births, when the limit for airline travel is reduced to around seven months. This information can be elusive on airlines’ websites, so a quick call to your travel agent or the airline itself should put you straight.
It should be noted that you are expected to be truthful about your due date and may need to produce a doctor’s certificate later on in pregnancy to prove your fitness for travel.
It may seem unlikely, but a quick trawl of the internet reveals an abundance of recent news stories about women giving birth mid-flight! Of course, some of these incidents are genuine premature arrivals, but if you do plan to fly at a late stage in your pregnancy it is prudent to assess how necessary your flight. See how quickly your birth plan will fly out the window when your waters break at 30,000 feet…
Experts agree that the best time to fly is during the second trimester. This is because the wobbly early stages of pregnancy have been successfully countered while the risk of premature labour is not yet a major issue.
If you are fit to fly and have checked out the airline policy regarding pregnant women and flights, you now need to think about how to make the flight a pleasant one. It goes without saying that the longer the flight, the more potentially uncomfortable you could be; so again, if it’s just a holiday trip maybe now is not the best time to fly to Sydney.
The air circulating around airline cabins is notoriously unhealthy. It is one of the best ways to pick up a virus and so, to avoid getting a cold, make sure you are in tiptop condition before you leave and stock up your body’s supply of vitamin C.
One of the most crucial things to do is keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water. If you are travelling a long distance, it will help fight jetlag and, anyway, it will stop your skin feeling like a paper bag once you have landed. Even if you are experiencing an increased need to visit the lavatory, just make sure you ask for an aisle seat when booking your flight and don’t worry about what other people think to your apparent obsession with the WC facilities on board.
Getting comfortable can be difficult with a bump in front, so ensure you get up as regularly as you can to give yourself a little exercise and loosen those limbs. From your seat, you can practise moving your ankles and wrists - this will help your blood circulation. If you are worried about motion sickness, talk to a homeopath or your GP to find out what the alternatives are.
Top pregnant flying tips
- The risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis) is greater during pregnancy, so make sure you walk around the aircraft from time-to-time, especially on a long-haul flight. DVT preventative in-flight socks can also help.
- Seat belts should be worn low around the pelvis, especially at take off and landing.
Do not take sleeping tablets to try to avoid getting jetlag. This is because sleeping tablets are not recommended for pregnant women as they can create problems during the birth and you may become dependant on them. Instead, try to rest as much as possible on the flight and, if you can, plan a day's rest once you arrive at your destination so you can rest and let your body adjust to the new time zone.
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
All
Third Trimester articles are relevant to the UK medical health system
and may differ from the experience of having a baby in other countries.
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Last Modified: 08/12/2008
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