would you fly 7 hours at 26 weeks with low lying placenta?

[kizzie]

Hi - my sis has been told at 20 week scan that she has low lying placenta and will have another scan at 36 weeks to check position. (we know that theres high chance that could move before then.)

She has a 7 hour flight booked at 26 weeks. Its an important trip but obviously not more important than the baby (long awaited after fertility treatment and mc.

Her dr said not to give it a second thought and no prob to fly? Does this seem right - and also wouldnt she at least need to tell the insurance company?

Would really appreciate any thoughts (including 'stop worrying for nothing' or 'wouldnt consider it in a million years' ).

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kizzie x

I wouldn't. She should tell insurance - I had to pay extra for insurance when PG as I had had an early ectopic scare, even though I got the all clear.

I wouldn't do it and she definately needs to tell her insurers that she's pregnant and that this potential problem has been identified.

Does the low lying placenta mean risk of premature labour? If so maybe best not to fly. I moved to US at 29 weeks PG (flight of 8.5 hours plus another of 1 hour) and pregnancy was not particularly straightforward. I found once I told docs I was going they were supportive but I'm sure if I'd asked them whether or not to go they would have been discouraging!!

Thanks for quick replies. I was concerned that dr was being a bit blase about it - but then thought maybe I making a fuss about nothing

PS. she has already told insurers that pregnant and has paid for 'extra' pregnancy cover - but this was before the scan. I definately think she needs to tell them this specifically - even though dr didnt mention that she needed to x

Having had a low lying placenta that didn't move I wouldn't do it. It's not just the flight, i assume it's 7 hours because she is going abroad/along way from home which wouldn't be ideal in the (unlikely but possible) event of an emergency.

Hi yes - its abroad so would be long way from home / local hospital

With any pregnancy I think you increase your chance of DVT by flying and tbh that alone would cause me to think twice about 7 hours but with this as well - if the placenta has moved and it's likely it has - then that's fine but otherwise placenta praevia does put you at risk of haemorrage (spelling?) and premature birth. Could she get another scan do you think - see if it has already moved - that would be useful information.

there's not many 'go for its' here - which i think i was expecting after the dr showed no concern whatsoever.

(You can probably tell from the fact that I started this thread that I wasnt convinced).

Northernlurker - I think thats what I might suggest. (another scan at say 25 weeks -even if needs to be private.)

My sister has huge faith in this particular dr because he has been brilliant to her in the past and just concerned that she is putting too much trust in his reassurance.

Just got to take DS somewhere - will be back in about in about an hour to see if anymore answers x

I wouldn't. The risk of bleeding would worry me. If you bleed with P.P you need blood transfusion very quickly. Not possible on an aeroplane.

It's good that she likes and trusts her doctor but at the end of the day - it's not his baby and it's not his uterus! Sounds rather like he expects the placenta to shift - but it's still a long flight that she doesn't have to take.

I think if your sister thinks she will be OK and her doctor agrees then she should go for it. Not sure i would cos I tend towards the neurotic, but she could stay at home and drive to the shops and have a car accident.

I'm with the "don't do it"s. FWIW, here's my history -

Pg no 2. Low-lying placenta at 20wk scan. Next scan booked for 36 weeks. Bled a lot at 34 weeks, went into labour, had baby.

Pg no 3. Low-lying placenta at 20wk scan. Next scan booked for 27 weeks. Booked holiday (ferry crossing not plane) for 26 weeks. Thought surely I'll still be fine then. Bled a lot at 23 weeks, hospital wanted me to stay in until the birth, had baby at 33 weeks. I had holiday insurance . And I'm utterly thankful that the bleed happened before I went.

Bleeding from a low placenta is very scary - it doesn't hurt but there is lots and lots of blood, very fast. The bleed I had at 33 weeks - well, it bounced off the floor and up the cupboard wall, 2 feet away. I would not like that to happen on an aeroplane.

In England they tell you that activity levels don't affect the chances of a low placenta bleeding. In America they tell you it does. The first bleed in my last pg happened after I'd spent the week painting my older son's bedroom. And every time I did too much after that, I got spots of blood. So I'm with the Americans on this one!

I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks, a small bleed at 29 weeks, a MASSIVE bleed at 31 weeks, hospitalised for 5 days (5 weeks if the docs had had their way), another MASSIVE bleed at 38 weeks and baby delivered by CS. So personally the answer would be no, not worth the risk IMO. However, if she can get a scan in the meantime and it has moved, then yes as apparently they don't move back down. Hope all works out

Fruitful - i was told to avoid any strenuous exercise, including sex and hoovering - i took them at their word on the second one

Sazzles, my dh thinks pg women aren't allowed to hoover anyway. Wonder where he got that idea from?

I had low lying placenta with DD1 and had an offer of a long haul trip. GP told me not to go. I think I would have been around 28 weeks then and was in good health apart from low lying placenta. So glad I didn?t risk it now as the thought of risking my beautiful girl?s life for a freebie holiday is unthinkable now.

Where is she flying to? I thought most airlines wouldn't take pregnant women outside Europe after 24 weeks. 28 Weeks for within EU.

(regardless of problem with placenta)

I wouldn't do a 7 hour flight at that stage of pregnancy regardless of where my placenta was lying tbh.

Thanks everyone - really really useful info.

Now just need to pass all this on without appearing like the interfering older sister I clearly am

PS. Thanks Lemontart - very similar situation re. free trip