Flying with a low lying placenta

[HE93C]

Hi,
I am currently due to go on holiday in a couple of weeks and will be around 31 weeks pregnant.

At my 20 week scan I was advised my placenta is 1.8cm away from the birth canal, and anything within 2cm is classed as low lying.

my midwife has advised me to check with my airline and insurer who have told me I am fine to fly but said might be best getting a fit to fly note.

has anyone else been in a similar situation and were you advised not to fly etc?

It is for a wedding in Spain so I can’t change dates or go somewhere in England instead etc.

thanks
x

I also got told I had a low lying placenta at my 20 week scan a few weeks ago. They have said low, not covering.

Similarly, they didn't advise me to stop doing anything but then when I asked a consultant directly she immediately said 'no sex, no exercise, no heavy lifting, no flying.' It's mental that you have to ask them this though rather than them advising out right!

I have a holiday to Devon booked in just over a week (I'm 24 weeks now) which is the other side of the UK for me and the consultant actually wasn't even keen on me going on that initially. But I'm reluctant to cancel and let the family down.. it's so tricky. The consultant seemed more ok with it when I said I wouldn't be too rural and there was a large hospital 20 minute drive away. If it had involved flying though I would have accepted I needed to cancel it.

She basically said never be anywhere more than 30-60 minutes access from a hospital.

It sounds like I'm in a very similar position to you (low not covering) and I wouldn't fly unless the scan shows its moved already. If not, I would definitely try and speak with a few more medical professionals though if you're really reluctant to cancel, ideally a consultant, and not go off what the one midwife says.

Hope it all works out for you and it's moved!

Also I think its worth flagging the stats online are that between 2 in 3 or as high as 4 in 5 women with a low lying placenta experience bleeding during their pregnancy and then have to be admitted to hospital for monitoring. Seems like this is sometimes for a day, sometimes for the rest of the pregnancy!

Apparently sometimes the bleeding is actually because it's moved and then it's resolved.

I think often with low lying placentas we think bleeding / hospital is still a remote possibility but the stats seem to indicate it's actually more likely than not.

Thanks for the replies. I’ve managed to move my private scan up to tomorrow evening rather than waiting until Saturday so will see what comes of that before contacting the GP.

You had someone CLAIMING to be a midwife on here saying don't.

Did you know I'm an astronaut and spend my time on the international space station between my job as the top neurosurgeon in the world?

No one here has right information for medical advice even if they are trained. Mine was touching, I had some bleeds. Did I go away? No. Later on it moved and no bleeds. Consultant reassessed me as being low risk pregnancy. I could have flown at 35 weeks, they would have given me a fit to fly.

The vast majority move, and if it was already 1.8mm away and has caused OP no issues, over 90% will have moved by now. It likely isn't still low lying, so she will be getting scanned again to check. If it's moved, why can't she enjoy her holiday?

Hope all goes well later @HE93C🤞

The OP has asked: has anyone else been in a similar situation and were you advised not to fly etc?

People are just answering based on their own experiences - professional or personal - as requested.

The people saying "I'm a midwife it's against policy" and "I'd care too much about my baby to risk it" are not answering OP as requested. Also people may say I had a huge bleed at 34 weeks but they may have had placenta completely covering, which is a very different situation than being 1.8mm away rather than similar.

At least tag me if you're going to bash me😂😂 My comment provided real life information to OP.
'Has anyone else been in a similar situation and were you advised not to fly etc?'
My comment advised her that no Midwife or obstetrician where I work would sign a fit to fly in this scenario because they are not advised to fly.
'are not answering OP as requested.'
How so?

Of all the horrible comments and madness you come across on MN, you chose this to direct your energy towards? Interesting.

This is a chat forum .. you’ll find posters don’t stick to the script, why should we?? 😵‍💫😵‍💫