When you're pregnant, it's a good rule of thumb to always check with your physician before traveling. For the woman experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy it is usually safe to fly until the 36th week of pregnancy. For long flights, more than four hours, doctors usually recommend no air travel after the 35th week.
Travel is not recommended at any time for the woman who has either a medical or obstetric complication. Some complications are: potential for preterm delivery, pregnancy-induced hypertension, poorly controlled diabetes and sickle cell disease or trait, which may be exacerbated by high altitude. There is anecdotal evidence that flight attendants experience twice the incidence of first trimester spontaneous abortions or miscarriages. There is no evidence of an increased risk of spontaneous abortion among other air travelers. Many of the airlines restrict pregnant flight attendants after 20 weeks of gestation. Airlines also restrict commercial airline pilots from flying once pregnancy is diagnosed.
The environment inside the airplane during travel is one of low humidity and changing air pressure. The low humidity, less than 25 percent, may cause the blood to concentrate and increase the risk for the formation of a blood clot. You may have noticed that if you have a bottle of water on a plane, as the plane is either landing or ascending the bottle may contract as the pressure in the airplane changes. Once you land and open the bottle the plastic in the bottle adjusts to the changed pressure and regains it's shape.
On long commercial flights traveling at 39,000 to 41,000 feet, cabin pressure is maintained at the equivalent of an altitude pressure of 8,000 feet. While at 32,000 feet the cabin pressure is set at the equivalent of 6,000 feet. The human body adapts to these changes of air pressure. Some of these changes are increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and a significant decrease in aerobic capacity.
A pregnant woman already is limited in her aerobic ability. At 6,000 feet, the oxygen consumption in pregnant women is 13 percent (litres per minunte) lower than at sea level, in comparison with non-pregnant women for whom the decrease is only 3 percent lower. These changes are associated with a reduction in partial oxygen pressure, which should not affect normal pregnant women, but it could affect those with a compromised cardiovascular system. Therefore pregnant air travelers with medical problems may need to travel with supplemental oxygen. Pregnant women with significant risk for premature labor or with placental abnormalities should avoid air travel.
Katie Powers, R.N., is a board-certified lactation consultant and perinatal educator at Manatee Memorial Hospital's Family BirthPlace. Her column appears every other week in Family & Friends. Contact her at katie.powers@mmhhs.com.
BABY TALK
Katie Powers x katie.powers@mmhhs.com
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