Planes in early pregnancy?

Jkp7749 · September 2016

I'm very weird about being pregnant. After losing two, I guess I have a right. I won't wear pink/red panties, I won't use certain prenatals, I won't go on long walks (ppl say it encourages labor at the end and I don't want that now), i'm strict about not eating things on the don't eat list, and won't take medicine.

I read an article about planes supposedly negatively affecting early pregnancy. I'm sure it was just a coincidence but I'm supposed to fly and if there is any chance of it harming my baby I don't want to.... Anyone flown already?? (I realize I'm being kinda crazy)

sarah0985 · September 2016

I've already flown three times. The first being before I knew I was pregnant but already was and I flew on Tuesday, Thursday, and will again tomorrow.
I understand you're scared and you have every right to be. I get the superstitions too because I've got my own related to my own things. But I really do think that flying is ok. Plenty of people fly when pregnant and if they do unfortunately miscarry, it was more than likely coincidental. Also, double check the articles you're reading. Are they citing credible sources with credible studies? Remember, correlation does not mean causation.

Squirtgun · September 2016

Not about the flying, but my OB has always actually encouraged me to take long walks while pregnant. Exercise during pregnancy can help you and the little one stay healthy, and they say it makes labor easier. (I mean, you do you, but I just wanted to share another side of it!)

Jkp7749 · September 2016

I know they encourage it! I hate how worried I am, but I had just begun working out again when i found out I was pregnant the first time.I had been walking/jogging 4-5 miles a day and after I found out, I slowed down but miscarried shortly after. My last miscarriage, we had just been to the zoo and walked all day. I know I would have miscarried either way with both of those but I just can't help but be scared to work out!

Kipperoo · September 2016

Agreed, I've never heard anything negative about planes and early pregnancy. It was my understanding that most early miscarriages were as a result of chromosomal and genetic abnormalities and not usually related to anything the mother "did". Don't stress yourself out too much...stress is not good for mamas! :-)

Squirtgun · September 2016

Jkp7749 said:

I know they encourage it! I hate how worried I am, but I had just begun working out again when i found out I was pregnant the first time.I had been walking/jogging 4-5 miles a day and after I found out, I slowed down but miscarried shortly after. My last miscarriage, we had just been to the zoo and walked all day. I know I would have miscarried either way with both of those but I just can't help but be scared to work out!

Oh, I'm so sorry, I would probably feel the same way! That is rough! I'm glad you know that it wasn't because of anything that you did, but I can see that fear being logical after what has happened to you.

pshaortao · September 2016

I don't blame you for feeling that way especially after two losses. Maybe once you get to a certain point in the pregnancy you can start doing more again.

As for flying, I flew a few times when pregnant with DD, once at around 8 weeks, once for our babymoon to Hawaii around 25 weeks and sometimes around 32 weeks to my hometown for a baby shower. No issues, I just made sure to stay hydrated and rested. Napping when you're further along was uncomfortable for me. I also plan to fly around 12 to 13 weeks in Nov.

flychick-2 · September 2016

I'm a pilot

I've flown in early pregnancy every day, multiple times a day with both my kids. And this one, too. I wouldn't be concerned about one flight in the least. When you go through TSA, however, if they want you to go through that scatter machine (the one where you put your hands up, not the metal detector), decline it and ask for a pat down instead.

sarah0985 · September 2016

@flychick a metal detector is acceptable though, correct? I knew about the scatter (didn't know that's what it was called though)

jdebaie · September 2016

I've already flown and flew quite a bit when I was pregnant with DD.

Yiggle09 · September 2016

Its called the backscatter xray machine- I did a paper for my bachelors on it. I'm not going to go into super crazy detail but it is a low dose xray machine that the radiation actually does not exit the body like normal hospital xrays; the low dose is what makes it work but what also makes it dangerous. I do not use it even if I am not pregnant. The main issue of flying in early pregnancy is that you and your baby will get radiation from being that high up in the air mostly from the sun. Babies are most susceptible to the effects of radiation in the early months. As a pp said they are a pilot and get that daily so once or twice is most likely not going to affect anything. I'm an xray tech and when I go to the patients room with a portable machine I can get radiation exposure; a very low amount daily as well - I just get a badge that helps the PHDs here track to make sure lo is staying away from a dangerous dose. I will be flying early november and only because of necessity. My best friend flew with both her babies and it was perfectly fine.

kat81 · September 2016

I'm so sorry about your losses and I can understand being very concerned about everything with that in mind.

A lot of pregnancy rules can also be "damned if you do, damned if you don't," and I think that that really applies here with regard to exercise and medicine. But I will give my two cents anyway and say that exercise is good for you and walking only induces labor when you're at the very very end. As for medicine I agree that it is good to stay off meds, but keep in mind that if you do get a fever in first tri, that is more dangerous than the medicine you take to keep the fever down.

Anyhow, as for your real question, it sounds like @Yiggle09 has provided a reason behind why flying could potentially be harmful in the first trimester, but it seems as though the radiation levels are extremely low when flying so it doesn't actually have an effect. Typically the advice is that it is 100% ok to fly in the beginning so I'd try not to think about it. I flew in first tri multiple times with my prior pregnancies and everything turned out fine, not that anecdotal evidence is that helpful. I'll be doing it again this time.

I'll reiterate what the others said about the machine, though. Go with the regular metal detector plus pat-down, not the body scan one.

firstbaby2013 · September 2016

The radiation is what is harmful. Ask to be patted down instead of going through the metal defector. I've flown pregnant many times and will be flying four times next month.

flychick-2 · September 2016

sarah0985 said:

@flychick a metal detector is acceptable though, correct? I knew about the scatter (didn't know that's what it was called though)

Yeah the metal detector is totally fine. I also don't use the scatter thing when not pregnant. @Yiggle09 gave a good description of it. In addition it was implemented too quickly and without enough testing. Also yes, radiation is what they talk about when flying but the levels are very low, and you're typically at a lower altitude than where you'd even think about it being an issue.

Jbananas4 · September 2016

I completely understand your paranoia since I was freaking about about flying my last pregnancy. I flew my first pregnancy, which I miscarried shortly thereafter (for unrelated reasons). After I found out I was pregnant a 2nd time, I was already scheduled for a flight in my first trimester and was super paranoid about going. Since I couldn't miss my flight, I had to fly anyway. My son was born super healthy with no problems. Obviously, like others said, lots of pregnant women fly all the time with no problems and a few flights won't hurt the baby.

That said, I still have weird superstitions about random things too - my husband's friend is in town this week and the last time he visited, I was super early pregnancy and lost it so I did NOT want to see him this time. My husband had to convince me I was being ridiculous. I mean, I know intellectually that stuff like that can't hurt but can't seem to convince myself emotionally until the baby in my belly proves differently lol

TL;DR Take the flight

newmamaro · September 2016

I flew when I was about 12 weeks along with DS with no issues. I'll be flying Tuesday to NJ and then home Fri at end of 7 weeks. Then I'm flying again for Thanksgiving to CO, when I will be about 16 weeks. I'm glad this was brought up to though because I definitely didn't think about the scatter machine! I probably would've gone through this coming Tues so thanks for this!

Jellybeanqueen13 · September 2016

@Jkp7749 I feel like we have a lot in common. Idk anything about flying, but I just wanted to comment on the exercise thing. Before my loss, I was running/walking 3-5 miles 3x or more a week. The week of my ultrasound, I had just completed a 5k and it was very hot outside. Of course when the u/s didn't go well, I couldn't help but wonder if the running could have contributed to things not working out. I question every little thing that I did during that pregnancy, but in reality, I know it was likely a chromosomal abnormality. Still, you can't help but over analyze the little things once you have had a loss.

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