To cancel US work trip now that I am pregnant? WWYD?

[DarkMule]

I've been a bit of a nervous wreck these past 24hrs trying to decide whether to cancel a work trip arranged pre-pregnancy. I was really looking forward to this trip to the US. However, I will now be 11-12weeks pregnant during my stay there and I can't help but worry about what could go wrong while I'm there. At the same time, I do feel the chances of anything going wrong will be slim and I am just panicking and overthinking but what if something does go wrong and it's pregnancy-related? I can ensure I have additional cover over my company cover but I wouldn't even know who to call or how to get to A&E etc.

Would love to hear similar experiences and what you decided on in the end.

Thank you xx

On a personal experience, I was away with work for about 3~4 weeks in early pregnancy. (Europe).

I then had slight bleeding so called my MW that told me to get a scan asap.
I was visiting a customer. Big factory with a nurse at hand. She kindly organised for me to be seen by a gynaecologist (the norm there), had a scan and saw my baby for the first time 🤩🤩. Said baby is now 22yo.
I carried on travelling with work until 32~33weeks.

Similar with dc2.

Tbh, unless in case of a complicated pg, I felt that if I was comfortable to go away on hols then travelling fir work was ok too.

I'm in two minds. Earlier this year I swore I would never travel abroad again while pregnant - only because I did travel abroad (to Lisbon) at around 12 weeks and got horrendously sick and I just hated being far from home and in a foreign country while feeling so vulnerable.

But I've worked in NYC and had good experiences with their health care system - though I found it SO confusing which would maybe put me off. I had an eye infection and ended up paying out of pocket as the insurance system was so confusing. I expensed it through work but it was only about $30, whilst a baby related thing is likely to be more. It's a tough one!

@PermanentlyTired03 thanks for sharing! Anything in particular you avoided food-wise that you can recall? Thanks xx

Just make sure you wash any fresh fruit and I think it’s good to avoid corn syrup and certain additives found in sweets. If you aren’t planning on gorging on jolly ranchers you’ll probably be ok! A little bit of everything is fine, just a build up of chemicals and ingredients long term isn’t good- a week of it won’t harm you though.

@SpinninandReelin yes but she'd have to prove it, which may not always be possible!

Some Companies do take these things into account secretly often and not make it obvious, whether we like it or not

People do travel pregnant it is not an illness or disability sure if you are 9 months would not be the best idea, but the world doesn't stop just because of pregnancy

Only 12 weeks? I wouldn’t consider cancelling unless my pregnancy was high-risk.

I went on a work trip a 6 hour flight away at 10 weeks pregnant. The hardest thing was feeling tired, though you have a jet lag excuse to fall back on. If it’s a liberal state, doesn’t coincide with election week (early November) as that may be chaotic, and insurance has you covered then I’d definitely go. Hopefully if it’s international you get to fly business so extra comfy!

I’d still go.

I think as long as insurance is up to scratch I’d go. Healthcare is mostly great in the US as long as you put the whole bills thing aside.

At that stage I would go. I understand the pregnancy anxiety as I was similar, but rationally speaking you'll be absolutely fine if you have good travel insurance through work.

This is the point I was trying to make, and I wouldn't want my employer thinking this of me (assuming I cared about the job)

I always wonder about people like you and that other poster. It’s very frustrating to hear that old trope trotted out. I have 3 friends who have had stillbirths, 2 friends who had a late horrendous miscarriage at 19/20 weeks, multiple friends who have had miscarriages before 12 weeks resulting in heavy bleeding and mental trauma, friends who are on permanent blood pressure medication following pregnancy. I myself had severe pre eclampsia. Pregnancy is incredibly high risk for many women. It can have extremely adverse effects on women both during pregnancy and after. If you told me pregnancy wasn’t an illness after my organs started shutting down from 32 weeks and my baby and I were at risk of dying I’d tell you you’re a completely uninformed idiot.