Older mum needing reassurance - pregnancy and flying

[ohimightaswell]

I am 37 years old and DH is in his 40s, both fit and healthy, we had our first baby 3 years ago. I am 2 months pregnant, complete surprise but we are happy.

As a 37 yo I am slightly apprehensive due to my age and all the stats are doom and gloom. I have plenty of family and friends that have conceived past this age and mother and baby have both been fine.

We however had a holiday booked and age my age is already making me worry I did not want to add further layers of stress. I have read about cosmic radiation from flights, which are minimal but nonetheless still present.

Its a 4 hour flight to Egypt, 7 days stay and 4 hours back.

Has anyone above 35 flew while pregnant without issues? How far along were you and did everything turn out ok with your baby?

Hi
not quite 35…I flew at 34 when I was 20 weeks pregnant to Myknonos. Everything was absolutely fine. I did however had a compete panic as I went in a hot tub and convinced myself I had caused some harm. Needless to say I didn’t!

I flew several times, the last time at 26 weeks and I’m 41. No issues, awaiting my baby now which is due to be born via c section next week.

Flew at 5 weeks to Mallorca (and back 10 days later), I was 38, my pregnancy was straightforward and I've got a healthy 12 week old boy now.

Hi 👋🏻
I’m 37.
Found out I was pregnant abroad - 8 hour flight
13 weeks pregnant - 7 hour flight
26 weeks pregnant - 4 hour flight

All been fine!

I would just say be careful of the sun when you are away! I normally wear factor 30 and have a lovely tan by the end of my holiday, this time I wore factor 50 & 30 and I just kept burning so had to stay out of the sun. Skin is so much more sensitive when pregnant!

Have a lovely holiday 😊

You do not need to worry about the flight. You and baby will be totally fine.

I’d be wary of the water and food quality in Egypt though, is it a good (aka not super cheap) hotel? Make sure all drinks are bottled, and that food is cooked and consumed safely. That would be my main worry, not the minimal amount of radiation from a 4 hour flight.

Took at least 10 flights when pregnant at 40 with my first (work and holidays, including 4 long haul flights of 14 hours), zero issues with baby. 6 months pregnant with my second at 43 and have been on 6 flights so far, planning a couple more in the next two months. Plenty of people I work with fly literally every week for work including when pregnant so don't give it a second thought but as PP said, take care with food and water in Egypt, food poisoning while pregnant is not fun! That said, Egypt as a destination will be totally fine if you're careful, I also travelled to Asia, Caribbean and Central America while pregnant.

Honestly I wouldn't even consider 37 as older, I thought you were going to say you were 47! I'd be more concerned with food and drink safety there. The radiation risk isn't anything to worry about, there's radiation in every day life.

As a 37 yo I am slightly apprehensive due to my age and all the stats are doom and gloom. I have plenty of family and friends that have conceived past this age and mother and baby have both been fine.

What are all these stats that are doom and gloom? I'm 38 and can't say I've seen any of them - and there's certainly been no hint of my age being a concern in my pregnancy. You also say yourself that you know plenty of people who have had successful pregnancies when they were older than you are now. You aren't unusually old to be having a baby.

I travelled short haul at 13/14 weeks pregnant and then long haul at 26/28 weeks pregnant - no problems whatsoever. I'm 36 weeks pregnant now so I haven't had the baby yet, but I'm satisfied that if something goes awry in the last few weeks it won't be because I took a holiday back in June. Take your maternity notes with you in case you end up needing any medical treatment, take sensible precautions with food and drink, and enjoy your break.

Radiation risk is much much higher hours than what you are looking at - remember looking when I was pregnant with my first as had many flights during pregnancy with a good amount of them long haul

I flew several times in both my pregnancies when I was late 30s (both times with gestational diabetes). The last flight I took was about 7 hours long, when I was 40 and about 34 weeks pregnant (flying to another country to have the baby). The doctors weren’t worried about the flight and I didn’t have any problems, except that my back hurt a bit! Hope you have a great time!

Flew long haul NZ to Ireland 1 month pregnant at 37years old. No issues other than sickness at the plane food. Hes 7, light of my life alongside his sister.

I'm 40, currently 32 weeks pregnant. I've flown 4 times this pregnancy when I was 20/21 weeks and 24 weeks. No issues at all.
FWIW, I had my first baby at 37, it's really normal for women to have babies older these days, usually risks are no higher than any other age unless there are underlying health concerns. Wishing you a safe and healthy pregnancy OP.

I was 37 when I had my first and flew several times when pregnant, didn't even think about it to be honest. 37 is definitely not old these days.....i asked the midwife about it at the time and she just laughed and said it's not even a factor these days until you're over 40.

Now I'm 41 and pregnant with second baby, we are thinking of taking a baby moon with DD1 before baby gets here and looking at long haul.
I also live 4 hours flight from the UK and fly between the two countries regularly - i'm hoping to go again in November when I'll be 5 months pregnant.

37 is really quite a normal age to have a baby, I thought you were going to say mid forties! I'm sure you and baby will be just fine. Have a fabulous holiday!

My sister in law ( aged 35 nearly 36 at the time) flew from Australia to UK 26 hour flight and back again, while 20 weeks pregnant. Baby born healthy, no problems whatsoever. I'm currently 43 and pregnant, no problems 35 is not old these days.

I was 36 when I had DC1. Didn't even think of myself as an older mum or worry about additional risks. Flew 4 hours to Cyprus for a week at 23 weeks quite happily.

I was 38 and flew loads for work and pleasure - the US, Isreal, the Maldives, France. I didn't give it a second thought.

I'm not sure why you say the stats are dire at 37. The chances of getting pregnant are lower but once you are pregnant the miscarriage risk is still small.

Thank you all, very reassuring.

From what I have read there is a higher chance of downs syndrome and other disorders with older mothers/parents and therefore I haven convinced myself to eliminate any from of 'risk'. I know I'm being delusional but I guess it's if I can forgive myself if anything were do go wrong...

The risk of DS is still also relatively low - 1 in 400 at 35.

And it's not related to flying, it's a chromosomal disorder.

I flew at 40 while 28 weeks with a heart condition

all fine.

my risks for downs etc came back very low in both pregnancies (38 and 40) like 1in 500 or less???

Maybe i should stop googling, I have also read the risk of autism/ASD is higher with older parents and slightly more with those mothers that have flown (a study from Thailand however).

Perhaps that is genetic however and nothing to do with the actual flight.

I'm autistic. It is widely believed to be genetic.

I'd agree that it's best not to google, as it appears to be provoking anxiety. Follow the advice given by your GP & midwife, eat well, exercise and rest appropriately, take Folic Acid and step away from google. There's nothing that can be done to prevent genetic illnesses, anything that generally goes wrong in pregnancy isn't a fault of the mother - it's fate. The statistics are actually on your side, and you're more likely to be fine (and baby too) than not.

Definitely stop googling!

And you're not an 'older mum'

I flew age 38, 26 weeks pregnant 4.5 hour flight absolutely no issues at all, that pregnancy is now a bouncing 2 year old, all good!

I wore flight socks for peace of mind.

congratulations on your pregnancy, enjoy your holiday :)

💯 Stop googling.

The bit that blew my mind was that none of the tests actually tell you anything it’s all 1 in 2,000 you don’t have X vs a Yes/No 🤯🤯🤯

the NIPT if you can afford it offers vague reassurance.

also don’t bother with the 4D scans etc unless you are flush with cash / really desperately need your baby to impersonate a lasagne.

i got almost everything 2nd hand for 0-6m and beyond. it all was about 80% less than new and it meant I was well within budget and so I could afford a (much needed) 3 month PT course at the end of both Mat leaves 🫶🙌