Flying long haul and spending 3 weeks abroad in early pregnancy?

[Thandeka]

Erm I think I may be pregnant (period a day late and very faint positive test) so still very much early days so trying to keep calm and carry on for the time being!

We are flying to Thailand in 3 weeks for 3 whole weeks and I am really worried about it now if I am pregnant.

1. I will need special insurance won't I?
   
2. Can a long haul flight cause make DVT more likely in pregnant women?
   
3. Can pregnant women go through those airport security xray thingys?
   
4. What if I miscarry in Thailand- nightmare- would I have to be hospitalised or do you think that early (will be there when am 9-12 weeks I think) I could deal with it myself and get checked out when I get back.
   
5. How will I manage the morning sickness and exhaustion (which have been dealing with for the last week and its horrid!) with the heat and the hot food.
   
   Any tips from anyone who has done anything similar in early pregnancy?

[Thandeka]

Thanks for the reply. Dysentry sounds grim- was your baby okay through that?

I wasn't going to take anti malarials anyway as we are not really going to malarial area. Just hope I don't get dengue fever!

Will make an appointment with doc to discuss once this weeks out the way- want to be at least a week late and get a strong positive beore I start jumping!

[Bicnod]

Hello - I flew to Ethiopia for 2 1/2 weeks with work on the day I found out I was pregnant, I was about 6 or 7 weeks at the time. I am now 32+4 weeks pregnant and baby is absolutely fine (having survived long-haul flights, dodgy food, incredibly bumpy drives down pot-holed roads for 5/6 hours at a time).

There isn't a problem flying long-haul - I would wear the flight socks if you're particularly worried.

You don't need special insurance at that stage as far as I'm aware.

The airport security things aren't actually x-rays, they are metal detectors (the bag bit is x-ray) so are safe for pregnant women to walk through.

Morning sickness/exhaustion gets worse when you're really tired, and if you're on holiday for 3 weeks you can spend lots of time chilling out/sleeping...

As I understand it (although I don't really know about this - hopefully someone who knows a bit more will be along shortly) if you miscarry before 12 weeks it is horrible but you wouldn't have to be hospitalised.

What is the malaria medication situation in Thailand? I didn't take malaria tablets when I went to Ethiopia as there aren't any that are guaranteed safe in early pregnancy - was just very very careful - but not sure I'd recommend that to be honest as it was quite a big risk to take... but if you don't need malaria medication in the part of Thailand you're visiting then I would say just go for it and enjoy your holiday - the relaxation will probably do you and your baby the world of good

Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy! x

[Thandeka]

Hello
thanks for the responses. Malaria situation is mainly in the far north (which we are not going to) but overcautious docs do recomend you take them sometimes- but everyone I know who has travelled in Thailand has never bothered and been fine. Including a friend who lived in the far north for a year!

Congrats on your pregnancy Bicnod- glad to hear all is well after all the excitement of Ethiopia!

3 weeks chilling on a beach/ by the pool will defo be just what I need- my job is WAAAAYYYY to stressful!

[ninedragons]

Private hospitals (heaven forfend you should need one) in Thailand are world-class.

I went to Laos at five weeks' pregnant. I was very careful about not getting food poisoning (the electricity supply is dodgy so we only ate in posh hotels with their own back-up generators, so I didn't eat anything that had been chilled, thawed and chilled again) but was absolutely fine.

I'd wear the flight socks, as suggested above, but really you should do that anyway.

Congratulations, and have a wonderful time!

[Nekabu]

I wouldn't have thought you'd need special insurance at that stage. I went on a longhaul hol when I was only a couple of weeks pg but I didn't know. The x-ray machine isn't; it's a metal detector. The DVT socks are a good idea in any case, as are the exercises and taking walks. I'm flying longhaul again in a couple of weeks (at 5 1/2-6 months) and will make sure I have some. I have normal insurance but did tell them I was pg when I took it out. Do be careful what you eat and drink though.

Happy Holiday!

[CMOTDibbler]

You do need to check that your travel insurance will cover pregnancy related issues, and should wear DVT stockings.

If you did miscarry out there, then you might have to be hospitalised (hard to tell, somepeople lose a lot of blood and have lots of pain, some don't), and you'd have to think about getting pads, painkillers etc. But your hotel would get you a doctor, and the private hospitals can be very good there

[shell96]

I think if your holiday was booked before you fell pregnant then you are ok for insurance but you should still inform your isnurance company before you go just in case you need treatment when away for anything pregnancy related. My sis was about 4 months pregnant when we went on holiday but as hol had been booked 6 months before then she didnt have to pay to upgrade insurance.

With regard to dealing with morning sickness when away - i found out i was pregnant during a 2 week camp/drive holiday in Europe and spent most of it feeling knackered and sick. I found the best way to deal with it was to go with what my body was telling me - when tired laze around and read a book, only eat what i fancied (which wasnt much as i got very fussy), etc. It did mean missing out on a few of the activities we had wanted to do due to me feeling horrible but generally i just got on with it as much as i could.

Go and enjoy it - it may well be your last baby free holiday!

[Hersetta]

I flew long haul twice before I was nine weeks. I flew to the Dominican republic the day after I got my BFP and then flew to the US at 8 weeks with work.

To be honest I didn't bother with the DVT socks (although i did when i flew long haul at 27weeks) I just drank loads of water which necessitated frequent toilet trips which kept me moving!

Enjoythe holiday.

[neolara]

Post office insurance will cover most pregnant woman.

Have a lovely trip!

[Nekabu]

Just remembered something! If you already have your travel insurance then you do have to let them know as being pg counts as a 'change in circumstances'. Doesn't necessarily mean they'll whinge about it but if you don't say then it's an excellent way for them to weasel out of paying out for any claim.

[Thandeka]

I have yearly annual worldwide insurance through DH's work. Getting him to double check on monday that a) am covered b) am covered if pregnant!

(Oh god I just remembered am booked to go to Glasto for the first time in my life this year too- will be 5months by then- oh dear- we only got the tickets this month! bah!)

[SAMR71]

Have a good trip, and enjoy... I went on a business trip to South East Asia - Bangladesh, Malaysia, India - when I was about 8 or 9 wks pregnant - I went to see a homeopath before I went and she gave me (well I bought!) a little travel pack of homeopathic remedies to take in case of various things including one for morning sickness, which really helped. I also took a packet of rich tea biscuits with me which I munched on when I felt nauseous. Re mosquitos - the trick is to try to make sure you're not bitten - I used a natural mosi repellent which you can get in Boots - I think it was called mosiguard. Anyway - Sandy is now 2 and a half and none the worse for his Asian adventure.
Have a great holiday.

[Thandeka]

Thankyou so much for all the feedback! Okay so am not as far along as I thought because of my late ovulation (day 24) so I am only just past 4 weeks now and will be in Thailand when 7-10 weeks.

I am going to try my best to get lots of HCG tests in the next three weeks to check its rising properly and possibly an early scan just so we can try and find out as much as possible as to whether this pregnancy is viable or not before we go to Thailand. I don't think I could cope with miscarrying in a foreign country (especially as part of the holiday is on an Island off Krabi! So hospitals may be a trek!)

Trouble is the latest possible time to scan I will be 6weeks and 6 days- this is probably too early to see heartbeat (7weeks) and not sure if not seeing a heartbeat would stress me or not for the next three weeks whilst in Thailand. Though I suppose we could always pay for a private scan in Thailand if needs be- haha maybe it would be cheaper than in the UK and wouldn't that be something to put on a post card!

[MeHimCatBlob]

Thanks for the post Thandeka - I'm off for a 3 week holiday this week (booked before we knew i was pg) and will be 10+4 when we fly - I have insurance through my bank which I upgraded to worldwide cover - this covers me for pregnancy related issues which is great so its definately worth checking.

have a great trip - i find dry crackers work for my ms

[4thtimelucky]

Thandeka - hope you are enjoying your trip (if my maths is right!)!

The advice from everyone else on here is most timely - am scheduled to work in Cambodia when I will be approx 10-12 weeks and DP is saying no way am I going but this thread does reassure me. I will need to check the work travel policy though, which annoyingly will be before I really want them to know - does anyone have any advice on how to get round this? Or are insurance policies OK about early pregnancy travel? Oh hell, am also going short haul just before that too, think I might stay put for the next 20 years after May!!!

[Thandeka]

Thanks 4th time lucky. Hehe am writing this from Dubai where we are staying with DH's dad and stepmum- off to Thailand on Tuesday. So far so good. Had an early scan on 6weeks 3 days and saw the mutant bean heartbeat and all so nurse reassured me I would be unlikely to miscarry.

My insurance is through DH's work and we are covered in early pregnancy - only time we are not covered is last 10 weeks of pregnancy and this was standard in the policy so we didn't have to pay anything extra.

Brought all my teabags with me- currently sipping a peppermint tea incase I couldn't get anything out here. Drinking drinks without ice is grim though so hoping I find a place that does ice cubes with bottled water or the hotel has an icecube tray in minibar so we can make our own.

In the end decided not to use DEET too much as possibly possibly causes birth defects (but evidence is peculiar and controversial) so am using citronella- brought a small bottle of it as an aromatherapy oil and then putting it into moisturiser, shampoo, conditioner and water spray. Hate the smell though!

Oh and the airline on the way here had me in a middle seat so I spoke to them and they very kindly moved me to an aisle seat for my frequent loo visits and so I could keep moving in my grim flight socks. (pregnant women are at a slightly increased risk of DVT) sadly it meant I couldn't sit by DH but we got to challenge each other on the in flight entertainment system which was fun!

Will keep you posted as to how I get on.....
Next big flight Tuesday- will try for an aisle seat then too.

[TakeLovingChances]

I'm booked to go on a church mission trip to Eastern Europe in July for 2 weeks. DH and I are trying to get pregnant, was bit worried in case I fell pregnant before going on the trip, but reading the above comments have calmed me down.

Will keep you all posted in case a) I do get pregnant, or b) in case I don't

[Thandeka]

Since I started this thread I felt the need to come back and update you all. Sadly I miscarried the day after we got back from Thailand at 10weeks and 1 day. I had a healthy scan just before we left at 6 weeks and 3 days and the scan on the day I miscarried revealed the embryo had stopped growing at 6 weeks. I am convinced it happened the day we flew though. Its horrible to think that I wasn't pregnant for 4 weeks when I thought I was. Glad it didnt happen while in Thailand though. Bodies are clever like that I guess.

Next time I get pregnant I plan on living in a hermetically sealed bubble and am not going anywhere! I know probably the trip had nothing to do with the miscarriage but I will always feel it did especially as I had the healthy scan with a heartbeat and the midwife even told me I wouldn't miscarry.

Sorry if this upsets people and am glad most peoples travel experiences weren't like mine.

[belgo]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Unfortunately miscarriages in the first 12 weeks are very common. I've had two early miscarriage,s and also three healthy children, and I wouldn't go on holiday in the first three months because of this.

Wishing you all the best with your next pregnancy.

[Thandeka]

Thankyou Belgo, so sorry to hear about your miscarriages but I have to say the comment "I wouldn't go on holiday in the first three months because of this." has really upset me. I know you probably didn't mean it like I am taking it (its not like you said "well its your own fault for going on holiday" or anything) and I know I am overwrought anyhow at the min, but the very thought of my holiday being what did it is killing me. Sorry I just felt the need to get that off my chest else I will be stewing on it. and again I know I am taking it differently to how you meant it so I will shh now.

[belgo]

oh no I really didn't mean to upset you! Of course your holiday didn't do anything to cause your miscarriage.

I had both my miscarriages after my first two pregnancies, and because of this, like you say, I lived like a hermit in a bubble in my last pregnancy.

[iggypiggy]

Thankdeka - I had an MC last week - I am personally fretting over any number of things I have done to cause it (mainly riding my horse...)

Of course rationally I know it problably isn't linked - but I can't help the guilt feelings.

Not related to your story in terms of travel, but just wanted to let you know that am feeling exactly the same and is rubbish xx

[Thandeka]

Thankyou for replying that has made me feel a lot better! Like I said I knew that wasn't what you meant but I felt I had to write how I had taken it else it would be something else to churn around my brain, and am trying not to have too much in my brain at the minute.

Here's to hermetically sealed bubbles- seriously I am going to rent out the film "Boy in a bubble" www.imdb.com/title/tt0074236/ and take notes!