Flying longhaul in First Trimester

[brightongirldownunder]

I've just found out I'm pregnant, which is a real shock but am v.happy as DD finally gets a sibling (fingers crossed)
Am only 5 weeks so far but am flying from Sydney to Paris to see my family in 2 weeks time.
Is it safe? Am I taking an unnecessary risk?
I miss my family so much and have been looking forward to this for so long but don't want to harm the baby.

Check with your doctor or midwife. My GP gave me a handout with info on flying. Basically it's okay but the biggest risk is getting a blood clot (DVT) as we're high risk even without flying. For short-haul or if you weren't overweight, the advice was wear stockings and move around a lot, but for long-haul if you were overweight (so even higher risk) my GP recommended heparin shots! So yes, there are risks, but more for you than to the baby itself.

ok, think my weight's ok - was more worried about miscarriage. Will see doc tomorrow. Thankyou.

I'm flying with DD, who is 3. Should I be careful about carrying her/luggage etc? I really can't rememberanything from last time...

Personally, I'm avoiding lifting because I'm paranoid (history of MC), but plenty of people carrying on lifting lots of things (like children!) and are fine. Make sure you lift things properly so as not to strain yourself though. You could always ask for help at the airport with putting hold bags on scales, etc.

Have you checked your airline policy and your travel insurance?

Is it just the 2 of you travelling? Make sure you don't neglect walking up and down and doing exercises in the plane because you're looking after your DD.

I've also got a history of MC.
Yes, just DD and me travelling.
Thanks for reminding me about travel insurance, will check paperwork tomorrow.
Its mostly a night flight, so I thought while DD is asleep I could do my laps of the plane!

I flew to and back from China just after conception and no problems, now 38+5. I researched at the time and couldn't find any reason not to fly in the first trimester. Miscarriage before 12 weeks is more common, but no reason why flying should increase the risk. There is quite high radiation from long haul but no evidence of problems from one off flights and cabin crew often fly more frequently.

It's a good idea to stay well hydrated and wear anti-DVT socks. Oh and you might want to check your insurance covers pregnancy related illness, I found that not all do.

Enjoy your trip!

Sorry, cross posted about the insurance thing!

Magnum, its good to keep reminding me! My brain is all scrambled through the shock of finding out a couple of days ago!

I flew long haul from UK to Sydney at 7 weeks. I had no problems. However it made my morning sickness really bad and I was in bed for the first 2 days when I arrived in Sydney and was quite sick when I returned.

However, the flying itself wasn't too bad. I wouldn't recommend it if you are suffering from morning sickness though. Can you delay it?

I am now almost 17 weeks and my morning sickness is significantly better...

i had hong kong booked when i found out i was pg with ds. the doctor told me to wear the long flight stockings, drink plenty and move around. it was ok but the worst was when they brought the breakfast round-bleugh!! take some snacks that you like as i didn't fancy most of the airline food so was good to have small snacks to nibble. i'd check your doctor for advice too just to put your mind at ease.

enjoy your trip.

I'd also make sure you take plenty of drinks so you don't annoy the air stewards by asking for water every 20 minutes when everyone else is asleep!

touch wood no sickness so far..
Thanks for all your advice, got doc appointment booked and will make sure I buy the socks!

I flew to the US from London at 9wks and my doctors didn't see a problem with it. I would however recommend taking on board your own water and sweets/bisuits in case your unable to attract attention. The food on my flight was terrible and I had to force it down or starve. Also I got stuck next to the window and the couple next to me covered themselves in blankets and slept so I couldn't get to the toilet!!!this might not be an issue for you yet. Also see if there are any exercises you can do from your seat, like foot reflexes. Have a safe trip

I did a lot of flying in my first trimester and then flew from London to Sydney at 15 weeks. A colleague of mine was told by her doctor not to fly as soon as she found out she was pregnant - but that's because she had had a history of bleeding at high altitudes previously so he didn't want to risk it for her. I think this is extremely rare.

Get an aisle seat so you can move around more easily, and make sure you do exercises throughout the flight to keep the blood flow going.

FYI, most international carriers say that you can fly up to 36 weeks (Qantas, Singapore Airlines) but finding travel insurance after 29 weeks can be problematic... they don't want to risk you going into labour early and in a strange country!

I'm doing a 3 1/2 hour flight next week for work at 31 weeks, but I am now based in Australia so I'm not leaving the country!

How exciting for you, BrightonGirl! Congratulations on the pg - and am interested in this as I may end up doing the same thing (if I get pg in the next 3m). I, however, have a blood clotting disorder so will DEFINITELY be having the heparin shot.

Go to your GP about it - because you might need to have another one at the halfway stage, and you will need to have a doctor's note or something to get the syringe on board the plane. I always have one before I fly now anyway, even when not pg, but because I'm not pg, I don't bother with the second one. However, if I were pg, I would definitely take the second one as well.

Bear in mind that you will need to have more for the return journey as well - you should be able to get a prescription for 4 heparin syringes. Not sure about Aus but they come preloaded as Clexane (40mg) in the UK - and you are expected to be able to stab yourself. I can't usually - have to get DH or my Dad or someone to do it for me - and if you do get them, I strongly recommend having it in the loose flesh on your tummy (assuming you have any!) as it hurts less there than anywhere muscular.

Whether you go the heparin route or not (and I would recommend it) the flight socks are a MUST, as is the wandering around the plane thing - but since you have a 3yo, I expect that will happen anyway! Certainly did with my 2yo when we went back to the UK in January

Hi all,

Just did a search for 'travel first trimester' and this thread came up so am bumping rather than starting a new one because some of you seem to be / have been in the same boat as me. I just found out (like, yesterday) that I'm pregnant but am travelling to China next week, which means a 13 hour flight !! I really didn't expect to get pregnant this month as even though we've been trying for a while I knew we had this trip booked so was in two minds about getting pg this month. I was prepared to cancel if I got pg back in May but it's so close now I don't think I can cancel (or really want to either... ).

MagnumIcecreamAddict: you mention that you did the same trip in your first trimester. Are there any extra precautions, apart from the travel socks? What about miscarriage risk? I've never been pg before or had a miscarriage either so don't really know where I stand in terms of risk. I'm taking some short internal flights in China as well and then flying back with a stopover in Moscow for a week to try and break up the flight home (and see Russia, obviously!). I'm still just getting my head around all of this as a.) am struggling to comprehend actually being pg after TTC for nearly a year and b.) have no idea of the risks for this early on in the pregnancy... ??

Hi Brightongirl

I posted about this a couple of months ago and got some very helpful responses including from pilots! Here's the link:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/947242-Has-anyone-flown-long-haul-in-first-trimester

I read lots of advice and in the end concluded that there is no higher risk of miscarriage - the suggestion that pregnant women may prefer not to fly during the first trimester seems to be because there is a higher risk of mc during this time, so being away from home if it happened would be harder etc. There seems to be a higher risk of DVT - so wear flight socks and move around regularly on the plane.

Also make sure your travel insurance covers you while you are pregnant, but other than that just enjoy your trip!

BTW I flew to from the UK to the US at 7 wks pg with work for a week and was completely fine.

Doh! Realised that I should now be responding to InMyPrime - apols, but hope you find the other thread and info re no extra mc risk useful.

Thanks, heidipi - that thread is really useful and glad to hear that the guidelines on first trimester travel have changed from previous ban on flying. It makes sense really, when I think about it, as so many women won't even know they're pregnant when flying in the first month or two, if they haven't been actively planning a pg. Also, as pandora69, the pilot, points out on your other thread, female pilots have to fly (A LOT!) to do their jobs and they manage to have healthy pregnancies.

This has really set my mind at ease so thanks for the advice. For me, the MC scenario would be worse if I didn't travel as DH will have to go on this trip anyway (for his work) so if I stayed home and anything went wrong I would feel worse emotionally as DH would be away and it's so early in the pg, no-one else knows. If anything goes wrong, I'd rather be with him, regardless what part of the planet we're on!

I flew London to Toronto at eleven weeks - obv a shorter flight than yours but still long. I wore dvt socks but needed loo so much I don't think clots an issue as was up and down whole time. Was also sick the biggest problem of which was being hungry as I threw up the meal so take plenty of your own dry snacks - flapjacks are good in my opinion. Get an aisle seat for the loo thing too.

Also jet leg hit me harder than usual.

Oh, and congratulations. Great news.

The miscarriage risk starts at around 20% if you're late 20s/around 30 and gets a lot higher if you're older. And that's after getting a positive test btw, not just the rate of lost fertilised eggs that don't implant properly.

So miscarriage is unfortunately very common - it's your choice as to whether you'd prefer to risk this happening at home alone or somewhere you might not be able to get proper medical attention (not that there's a lot that usually needs doing with early MCs).

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/griefandloss/understandingmiscarriage/

However, flying doesn't increase your risk unless you're flying as much as a flight attendant or have additional risks.

Definitely make sure you have good travel insurance that covers pregnancy and that would cover your OH's costs as well if you needed it (e.g. his hotel and new flights if you ended up in hospital).