Is flying at 32w straight forward? Even with a high risk pregnancy?

[mumtrovert]

Sorry this is a hypothetical question for now.

I need IVF to conceive. I had a MMC 3 months ago, and I’m planning when we try again for another frozen transfer. Unfortunately we have a wedding abroad for a very close family member in August next year, so that puts a lot of restrictions on when we can try again as we would like to all attend.
If I tried again in late January, I’d be 32w for the flight. My pregnancy last time was very straight forward, but it was found I had fetal vascular malperfusion after the birth due to placenta/cord issues.(DS was born small). I know I’d need more scans in my next pregnancy, but unsure if I’d be classified ‘high risk’.

Has anyone who was high risk been able to fly easily at this gestation? I’m just trying to get a plan together.

How long is the flight and is it in a destination where (eg.) if baby came early, they would get good medical / NICU care and you'd be able to spend two months waiting until baby could come home. Those would be important deciding factors for me.

I’m 38 weeks, second pregnancy, was high risk this time & would not have been cleared to fly at 32 weeks.

It’s in Portugal. So about 3 hours.

Thanks for sharing.
I just really don’t want to delay it any longer 😢😢 out of interest do you know when your cut off was?

I thankfully didn’t fly at 34 weeks as my baby arrived early 🙃

There is just no way I'd risk my health flying at 32wks with a straight forward pregnancy nevermind a high risk one.

If the wedding is that important delay transfer otherwise plan your family and dont attend.

I'd do the latter

I collapsed on a ferry at 20 weeks and had to be stretchered off to a hospital. And know of someone who went back to the uk on a ferry and delivered early. No way would I risk flying at 34 weeks. I also know someone who had a very premature baby in Egypt who had to be flown back both very unwell.

Postpone your IVF if the wedding is that important 🤷🏼‍♂ 👶🏼

I’m a midwife and I would never fly pregnant. I’ve seen too many women admitted with premature rupture of membranes after a flight. Also have to consider then being in that country long term if baby arrived early.

I could only conceive by IVF too, and personally I wouldn't go on a plane at all past the point of viability. I would never have been able to live with myself if anything happened. I know the chances are statistically very low but it is more about your peace of mind, as it's not like you could just have sex and get pregnant again. Also I was scared to spend unnecessary money in case it didn't end well and I needed to cycle again. I didn't even get married myself until I had completed my family as I would have resented the cost had it put a baby further out of my reach. Someone else's wedding would have been even lower down my priorities!

You’ll need a fit to fly note from a doctor after 28 weeks. I don’t expect they’d grant one to a high risk pregnancy.

I flew a lot during pregnancy long haul the works, 2-3 times per month

Mainly as PP mentioned it’s the practicality - I don’t believe my work insurance would cover me for emergency delivery / neonatal care / medical evacuation after a certain point - can’t remember now but was around the 30 or 32 week mark - so that’s when I stopped

Although people talk about fit to fly notes etc no-one ever asked

This

Some things are more important.

Why would you want to fly? Either postpone the IVF or stay home. Which is more important to you? Don’t risk your health and that of your baby.

Thanks all.

People getting a bit frustrated with me about how on earth could I risk it & fly etc etc.. this isn’t even real and I don’t have any of these facts hence why I’m asking so that I can plan. You’re all right, 32w is too late also. Will have to have a rethink. I’m just trying to please all sides here and best case scenario would’ve been to transfer Jan & still get to go to the wedding for 2 days. But not to be.

I'm a bit surprised by all the anti-flying. I was not high-risk and flew at 35 weeks with my first as I live abroad, went during my summer holiday and went back to school at 36 weeks before starting maternity leave. It was my last chance to see my family until Christmas. I was healthy and went to 41 weeks. I was also mentally prepared to give birth in my home country if anything happened.

Pregnant now with my second and due around Easter so I think I won't fly after Christmas but that's just because of the timing.

I just wanted to add a positive to the story to the narrative that you are crazy to fly at 32 weeks - you're not. But you do have some control of how far along you might be then and what the right choice is for your family.

I’d go ahead with the IVF once cleared by my doctor and put the wedding plans aside. If you book your flights now before getting pregnant (ensuring you have travel insurance before booking them) then you should be able to change themif you’re deemed not safe to fly nearer the time. I mean, it’d be nice to go to the wedding, but even nicer to have your baby! Good luck x

i was going to suggest taking a train but then I thought being heavily pregnant on a sleeper train would be no fun. I would skip the wedding.

I went to Santorini for 4 nights at 32 weeks .
it was our last chance for a child free holiday and I did loads of walking and was totally fine

I had a fit to fly which no one asked for .

technically on paper low risk pregnancy however I was pregnant after 6 recurrent miscarriages so flying did cause me some anxiety prior but I'm glad I went .

Get on with the ivf and deal with the wedding by accepting you probably can't go. Don't base ivf decisions around life events, not worth it.

I would not fly. Every pregnancy is completely different so it's impossible to know whether you will be high risk or not. I also know someone who was low risk and went into labour after attending a wedding in Italy. Mother and baby are now stuck in NICU!

I wasn’t anti-flying per se - I can see other situations where later flying would be fine - for me and perhaps other posters it was the practicality of being stuck in a country I don’t know well (as travelling for work) with insufficient insurance if something were to go wrong

A premie birth in the US / Mexico / Korea etc would not have been super convenient either logistically or financially

I had the same risks at the start of both of my pregnancies. Low risk for physical health high risk for mental health.

My hyperemesis returned in my third trimester with my first and I'm not sure I could have attended a wedding never mind flying.

With my second I was having growth scans and they were happy for me to move them a week for a holiday. I went away at 30 weeks and would have felt comfortable flying then but a week later I developed obstetric Cholestasis and went onto twice weekly blood tests to monitor my liver function. I got permission to travel to family but only if I could get another hospital to continue the monitoring they were uneasy about this. It turned out to be a good thing as I was in triage 2 days later in threatened preterm labour and a week later I was admitted with extreme fatigue.

You might be fine, you might not be for a hundred different reasons really you would only know if you would be ok to fly at 32 weeks when you are at 32 weeks.

I wouldn’t base decisions like this around a wedding.