To book international work trips having just found out pregnant?

[Lndn93]

I’ve recently tested positive (4 and a half weeks; planned although first try, so slightly earlier than expected!) The dilemma is that I have just been asked to go on two trips to the US this summer and need to decide today/tomorrow if I can do the first one. I tried to avoid it, but no-one else in the team can go in my place.

I really would like to go – these are trips that I enjoy and are relatively stress free. The dilemma is working out if the timing suits and if I should disclose. The first trip is a long flight (11 hours), 7 nights long with short, domestic flight in the middle, and I would need to fly out from the UK the day after I reach the 12 weeks pregnant mark.

I’ve already been scheduled for my 12 week scan, which is exactly 12 weeks (aka the day before I would fly). Is this too close to my departure? What if I was to receive bad news? However, I am hoping to bring my DH on this trip, so I would be well supported. As far as I can tell, my company’s travel insurance policy would cover any medical emergencies (but I would check this for sure).

The second trip is less of a concern (I think). I would be 18 weeks and it is a shorter flight / around 4 nights duration.

I am fit, healthy, early 30s. I am planning to pay for a private early scan at 8 weeks for reassurance.

I am aware that there is still a relatively high chance of miscarriage, so I guess there is also a chance that I may not be pregnant by the time these trips come around. What would you do? Would you disclose to line manager? It still feels very early days and I ordinarily would not want to share until closer to 12 weeks, but perhaps it is the best thing to do in this case.

It is first pregnancy for me and I don’t know if I am being a bit naïve. I am going to ring the hospital team who have sent me booking details, but any thoughts on here would be very welcome

I hadn't thought that she could check the insurance without disclosing. I guess the other thing is whether there is anything in pregnancy employment law that means the company might get into trouble for doing something that caused risk to an employee's unborn child. I guess though even those laws would have a get out clause if you didn't know the employee is pregnant. A bit like most areas of the Equality Act say that you aren't discriminating against a disabled individual if they aren't obviously disabled and haven't disclosed their disability.

Anyone is well within their rights to ask about a policy. Whether they give it or not is another matter. But why wouldn’t they? You should also take a copy of the policy and emergency contact details with you so you know what to do in an emergency. Why anyone would not do this I don’t know.

Regarding travel insurance - everything should always be declared to an insurance company for travel anyways to ensure appropriate cover. Even if not pregnant. Chances are if you have asthma or high blood pressure (BP) or anything else for which you take medication for, and haven’t declared it to the insurance company then they can refuse to pay out of you become ill abroad with a chest infection or a unwell due to uncontrolled high BP for example a stroke. Epilepsy, allergies, rheumatological disorders, the list goes on. If you had a recent chest infection and didn’t declare it but then went on holiday and developed another they could also refuse to not cover. Similarly for urinary tract infections or any other infection that matter. Many insurance policies will not cover you for anything related to outstanding tests or appointments - think you have an allergy to something (I.e. nuts, shellfish, egg) and are waiting to see a specialist without a formal diagnosis, regardless of how mild or severe it may be… no point booking that trip because if you’re ill whilst you’re away they can refuse to pay out. So there’s lots of reasons why people may need to see a company travel insurance policy and shouldn’t have to declare why. I honestly wouldn’t travel on any insurance policy without seeing the wording myself. It’d be foolish to do so given the potential cost of medical bills and repatriation. Would much rather just pay for my own. It isn’t even that expensive. You can get world-wide multi-trip for less than £100. Why would anyone leave that responsibility to someone in their company and expect it to be an appropriate level of cover for them personally I don’t know 🤷‍♀️.

The OP said it would be a non-stressful trip. I’m sure she can do her own risk assessment of the situation. I mean if she food testing, dealing with pharmaceuticals or was expected to do high-risk stunts for a movie in the states then that’s a different story entirely. But I doubt that’s the case here given what has already been said.

I don’t see why not ? I traveled with all my pregnancies apart from the one where I had hypemensis gravidarium as I was too poorly .
unless on extreme cases pregnancy is not a illness so your work should not really be to affected

Congratulations!

I think you're so excited that you've forgotten you'll be speaking to a doctor at your private 8 week scan who can advise you.

Do what you need to do for work. Especially in the first 12 weeks or until you decide to publically disclose you're pregnant at work and to HR. You think you're normally fit and healthy and not in any risk category.

And then go by the advice of your GP.

I was much older with an IVF pregnancy and still travelled to Bangkok and Germany for work at a similar stage to what you’re describing. I felt fine, only issue was feeling a bit of a blob on the Bangkok trip as I was taking a lot of progesterone after the IVF. I was actually glad to do the trips for a last kid-free travel experience (little did I know Corona was coming up so it was also the last opportunity to travel for a while). I’d say do it: USA work trips will become much more complicated when you have kids.

I flew to the US at about ten weeks. Just wear circulation socks or supports and try to move as much as possible.

I went on a work trip to Tanzania when 7 weeks pregnant. It was booked before I found out I was pregnant. I wasn’t ready to tell my boss so I confided in the Travel Officer at work who confidentially notified the travel insurance company of my condition and ensured I had an appointment with a travel clinic to discuss malaria prevention and risks in pregnancy. She also gave me the option to cancel if I wanted to.i continued travelling with work up until I was 32 weeks (although the last long haul flight was hard work in economy as my back was img me by then!)

She didn't die at birth because of a genetic condition so give it a test and develop some empathy!

As you say, you're "detailing the thread" so perhaps move on and say no more! My initial points were relevant to the OP and your comments to me were unkind and unnecessary.

Tbh, you clearly don't have any knowledge of the relevant conditions tested for and the implications with each and, in any case, it is a theoretic risk, not an actual risk.

I did long and short haul trips for work in all of my pregnancies.. my doctor just advised on low dose aspirin a couple of days before I flew, 2 days there and then a couple of days before I travelled home and a couple of days at home just to prevent dvt She also advised that I wear flight socks on the long hauls.. I took her advice and has no complications on any of the trips x

I don’t think there would be any problem in booking the trip. I would let my line manager know though. I understand not telling most ppl u til you are further along in case something goes wrong. However, you'd want to tell your manager if it doesn’t work out as you wouldn’t want to be at work.