Pregnant women need to plan their holidays and air travel with some extra care. The gynecologist would be the first person to contact to see if any special arrangements need to be made and if there are any medical reasons why it is unsafe to fly. Unfortunately women who are experiencing swelling, especially of the ankles, any blood loss or increase in their blood pressure may well be advised not to fly.

Some airlines will actually ask a pregnant woman if they have a certificate of pregnancy which is usually advisable after twenty four weeks. It is also worthwhile checking in as early as possible as there is a greater chance of being issued a bulkhead seat for additional room or aisle seat where it will be easier for access.

Even though there isn’t any evidence to suggest fetal injury, pregnant women are advised not to have vaccinations to protect against typhoid but hepatitis A and B are advisable if they are flying to Africa or Asia but it would be best to seek medical advice. However, there are many places where malaria is still a problem and it is recommended that they be missed out as contracting malaria when pregnant an cause problems.

Travelers to Australia need to be aware that children under six should not have the hepatitis A or typhoid vaccinations but in all other cases inoculations for children should be current. Not only is the destination important but personal circumstances so pregnant women should check with their doctor as to what vaccinations they will require.

For travel into countries where hepatitis A or typhoid is prevalent if water is to be used for either drinking or cleaning teeth then bottled water must be insisted upon and do not use ice in drinks unless the source can be verified. Raw vegetables and fruit should also be avoided (unless the fruit has a tough outer skin like bananas for instance) and keeping hands sterilized with anti bacterial soap is necessary before consuming any food. A good accessory to take on a vacation is the new type of fast drying antibacterial hand gels which come in travel pack size and can be slipped into a purse.

Air travel also increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis which is statistically more likely in pregnant women so to guard against this it is recommended that expectant women wear the special flight socks or tight that are now available. To keep maintain a good circulation, it is advisable that walking about or other exercises be carried out while in flight whenever possible.

The one problem a pregnant woman may have when flying is that travel insurance only covers expectant mothers up to 26 weeks that covers all costs although policies can be purchased that extend this period, they won’t cover anything the pregnancy. Some insurance companies will include travel insurance after the twenty six weeks for pregnant mothers but won’t cover the costs of the birth itself.

When traveling always keep clean baby blankets in your luggage. Of course you can also get monogrammed baby blankets so that you are able to keep track of which blanket is yours. Create a personalized baby blanket for your precious baby.

You should always consult a doctor before you take anything we say, or anyone else says as medical advice. We are not doctors and are only sharing our experiences. So I say again, consult a medical doctor before traveling or taking anything you read on the web as medical advice.

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