Would you fly while pregnant?

smiling76 · September 2010

I know some HAVE to because of work travel---somehow I escaped doing it with DS--but now that I'm pregnant again I'm very nervous about everything (having had a loss previously).

There is a trip I "should" take for work at the end of the month--both airports have full body xray scanners --- plus the amount of radiation while actually sitting in a plane is huge (my husband used to fly planes as well as being an avionics engineer for fighter jets so he's pretty knowledgeable on this stuff). It just freaks me out in a way--especially on a fetus that is just starting out it's life. So much can go wrong so early on, ya know? I guess I could drive it--it's about 5.5-6 hrs each way but of course driving has it's own risks LOL

I was just wondering if anyone else is having this issue.

6fsn · September 2010

I would definitely fly while pregnant. Usually 6 hrs is my tipping point for driving though. Our airport is over and hr away so it's generally no faster to fly.

CutieBean79 · September 2010

I am - around 20 weeks. My OB said it was fine so I'm taking his word for it. It is for work, but my husband will be joining me.

m0132 · September 2010

I will be in November. We drove 16 hours my last pregnancy when I was further along and I was miserable. I got so swollen from not being able to get up and move around, it was horrible. We have to make the same trip this time and I would rather check a car seat, stroller etc. then drive again.

LA_Badger · September 2010

I've flown a few times already into this pregnancy and have a few more flights planned... (Although I don't have full body x-rays to deal with). I am wondering if they'd skip that portion for you.

However, for me - our families are 2500 miles away. If we care to see them, we fly - and we've had showers, weddings, birthdays, and and upcoming holiday season to contend with. We're ok with it.

I will say - the first trip back I did not have DH with me. I was only 7 weeks along or so - but it was so helpful when he accompanied me in trips afterward. I rested much better and it's just plain easier.

ksdodge · September 2010

I flew across country when I was pregnant with DD, I was probably 30 weeks at the time. It was uncomfortable sometimes but not bad. I am flying tomorrow, I didn't even think about the things you mentioned above. Although I was at the doctor yesterday to make sure things were ok and mentioned I was flying and she didn't see anything wrong with it.

laurakaz13 · September 2010

I will fly quite a bit due to work throughout my pregnancy and I'm not worried at all.

I actually have a trip in Feb. when I'll be close to 7 months pregnant. As long as I feel well and the doc says it's okay, I'm going on that one too.

mollymurphy · September 2010

I flew a few times in 1st and 2nd tri while pg w/DS and already w/this baby, too. Of all the potential risks out there, flying worries me very little.

hmontty · September 2010

I'm flying transatlantic at 13 weeks and back again 2 weeks later. I've done a lot of research, and everything says it's OK, as long as its a commercial plane with a pressurized cabin.

How do you know if the security gate is x-ray or not? I've read that there is no x-ray exposure in security at airports, except in the luggage scanner, but that is enclosed. Now I am concerned...do you just let the security people know you're pregnant so you can get a manual scan?

violetvilla83 · September 2010

Before I had no concerns about flying, but now with the full body x-ray/scan it's another story. Has anyone had to deal with this yet? I know someone said you can request a pat down.

jteneback · September 2010

I will be flying several times, so I hope it's OK! This weekend, in two weeks, in November, and probably a babymoon in January. I will definitely ask to skip the full-body x-ray but little bean will just have to get through the radiation on the plane, I guess.

SushiNoMore · September 2010

I travel a bit for work, so I usually fly a few times a month. I'm not worried about it - everything I've read says it's fine.

GenaBoBenaWife · September 2010

We will be taking a vacation @ 20wks, from the research I have done it doesn't concern me and my OB said it was fine. And AFAIK you have the right to refuse the xray scanner & request a pat down instead.

Hotomale · September 2010

I fly almost every week for work and did the same when pregnant with DS. He's perfectly fine, there's nothing unsafe about airplane travel.

MaybeBaby2 · September 2010

Yes. I flew when PG with my DD and will again this November.

TheCricket · September 2010

I definitely will fly until the thrid trimester- but my husband is a pilot and flies us to places for the day and back, so for us, it's like taking a ride in the car at times, just prettier.

radiant05 · September 2010

I've flown twice already, have another trip planned later this month, and will fly again in Jan. My ob said it's fine to fly. Just get up and walk around every so often.

lauralovesbob · September 2010

There is some minimal exposure to cosmic radiation from air travel, supposedly its a little less than a dental xray. so as long as you arent flying frequently on high altitude trips its ok. we are going on vacay in december, planned before we knew about the pregnancy. my ob said it was fine, just to get up and walk around the plane occasionally to prevent a dvt.

3PupsAndABaby · September 2010

I'm almost 100% sure there's no alternatives to the full body scan however, it will not effect the baby at all.

aubreyalise · September 2010

i fly a lot, although i've officially asked for it to stop (it's work related). i asked, though, because the trips themselves wear me out, not because of flying.

i did a lot of research on the full body scans and they are fine for pregnant women. you can, though, request a pat down search at any airport and they have to comply.

the amount of radiation on a commercial plane is very small and is only a concern if you are a flight attendant and spend all day every day on a plane.

since finding out i was pregnant, i've had to go to italy, florida & arizona, and baby is still fine and kicking.

like i said, though, the actual traveling part is what zaps you. i got back from arizona a couple of weeks ago and slept for 19 hours and stayed in bed for 3 days. that's when i knew all travel had to stop.

RunningGal900 · September 2010

I read on the side of the full body x-ray yesterday and it say the amount of radiation is equal to what one person gets naturally from 5 minutes of exposure to natural radiation from the air and soil. To the poster that asked how you can tell - the full body machines look very different from the metal detectors. In some airports I've had them separate me from the metal detector line to do go through and in some cases I've had to go through the metal detector and then do the full body x-rays. According to the TSA website, yes, you can request a pat-down instead.

shalenap · September 2010

Being 8,000 miles from my family and even farther from DH's, we have quite a bit of flying coming up so that we can get to see family before the baby comes. I'll be flying transatlantic at Thanksgiving (at 22 weeks) which will likely dictate whether we fly to see his sister in HK at Christmas (27 weeks). We also have a few short trips on the continent before then, so I expect I'll become an expert.

My former assistant is Chinese, and they wear these silver radiation blocking undergarments during their pregnancies to shield them from microwaves, tv's, laptops, and everything that could emit radiation. Maybe I'll look into getting one of those!

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