DVT can lead to a dangerous condition called pulmonary embolism. This is when a blood clot travels to the lungs. Research shows that any type of travel lasting 4 hours or more—whether by car, train, bus, or plane—doubles the risk of DVT. Being pregnant is an extra risk factor for DVT. When taking a car trip, keep in mind the shortest route is often the best. You also can follow these tips:. For healthy pregnant women, occasional air travel is almost always safe. Most airlines allow pregnant women to fly domestically until about 36 weeks of pregnancy.
Your ob-gyn or other health care professional can provide proof of your due date if you need it. If you are planning an international flight, the cut-off for traveling may be earlier. Check with your airline.
Avoid flying if you have a medical or pregnancy condition that may be made worse by flying or could require emergency medical care. Keep in mind that most common pregnancy emergencies usually happen in the first and third trimesters. Lower air pressure during a flight may slightly reduce the amount of oxygen in your blood, but your body will adjust. If you are a frequent flier, talk with your ob-gyn or other health care professional about how much flying is safe for you. One of the most common health problems for people taking a cruise is seasickness also called motion sickness.
Seasickness can cause nausea, dizziness, weakness, headache, and vomiting. If you have never taken a cruise, planning your first one while you are pregnant may not be a good idea. But if seasickness usually is not a problem for you, traveling by sea during pregnancy may not upset your stomach. Infection on cruise ships is a concern for everyone, not just pregnant women. You may have heard about noroviruses, which affect the digestive system. Noroviruses are very contagious and can spread quickly on ships.
Symptoms include cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. People can get infected by eating food, drinking liquids, or touching surfaces that are contaminated with the virus. If you have symptoms of norovirus while on a cruise, seek medical care right away. Before you book a cruise, you can check whether your ship has passed a health and safety inspection conducted by CDC. The CDC performs periodic inspections of cruise ships to prevent widespread virus outbreaks.
Visit your ob-gyn or other health care professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before a trip outside the United States. During this visit, you can go over your travel plans, get advice about specific health issues, and get any vaccines that are recommended for the area you will be visiting.
This also gives you time to call your health insurance. You should ask if you are covered outside the United States. If not, you may be able to buy travel health insurance. Be prepared to carry a copy of your health record with you outside the country. Also, before leaving home, locate the nearest hospital or medical clinic in the place you are visiting.
Travelers in developing countries can get sick if they eat raw or undercooked food or drink local water. Serious illnesses, such as hepatitis A and listeriosis , also can be spread by contaminated food and water. These diseases can cause severe complications for a pregnant woman and her fetus. When traveling in developing countries, the best way to avoid illness from food or water is to follow these tips:. Zika virus was first found in Central, North, and South America, but now there are cases of Zika virus infection throughout the world.
The virus can spread to humans:. Zika virus infection generally causes no symptoms. When it does cause symptoms, they may be mild and include fever, rash, joint pain, and red and itchy eyes. Babies born to women infected with Zika virus are at risk of serious birth defects, including microcephaly.
Microcephaly can lead to lifelong problems, such as seizures, feeding problems, hearing loss, vision problems, and learning difficulties. There is no vaccine to prevent Zika virus infection and there is no treatment. You can reduce your chance of becoming infected if you cannot avoid areas where Zika virus is spreading by:. Also, use a condom every time you have sex if your male partner lives in or travels to areas where Zika virus is spreading. Malaria is another serious disease carried by mosquitoes.
Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and nausea and vomiting. While you are pregnant, you should not travel to areas where there is risk of malaria, including Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. If travel to these areas cannot be avoided, your ob-gyn or other health care professional may prescribe an antimalarial drug that is safe for pregnant women. The leaflet gives advice on the side-effects of flying when pregnant.
These include swelling of the legs due to a build-up of fluid, nose and ear problems caused by changes in air pressure and motion sickness making any pregnancy nausea a little bit worse. Long-haul flights of four hours or more can increase the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis DVT , when a blood clot forms in the leg or pelvis, and pregnancy increases this risk even more.
The leaflet recommends that women wear loose clothing and comfortable shoes, take regular walks around the plane and do exercises in their seat every 30 minutes. Cutting down on drinks containing alcohol or caffeine and wearing elastic compression stockings can also help. In some circumstances, however, it is better to take the decision not to fly when pregnant. For example, if a woman has an increased risk of going into labour before her due date, has severe anaemia, sickle cell disease, has recently had significant vaginal bleeding or has a serious heart or lung condition.
Philippa Marsden, chairwoman of the RCOG's patient information committee, said the information was relevant for pregnant women travelling both short and long-haul. Cath Broderick, chairwoman of the RCOG women's network, said the guidance offered sensible recommendations. Some antimalarial drugs such as chloroquine are considered safe to take during pregnancy, but others such as doxycycline are potentially harmful to the unborn baby.
It is recommended that pregnant women avoid travelling to areas where malaria is present. Long periods of not moving during car, bus, rail and air travel increases the risk of clots forming in the deep veins of the leg, known as deep vein thrombosis DVT. These clots can circulate and lodge in parts of the body such as the lungs. One in 1, pregnant women will develop DVT. Research indicates the risk of DVT can increase by two or three times in a long-distance flight. There is no research-based advice on travel for pregnant women.
However, if you choose to travel long distances, you should:. Before you leave, discuss with your doctor whether you need to travel with a medical kit. Remember to pack this kit in your carry-on luggage so you can access it during the flight. If you feel weak and dizzy, light-headed or even slightly nauseous, it may be a sign that you are overheating and dehydrated.
Certain sporting activities carry an increased risk to your unborn baby. Activities to avoid include:. Be careful to avoid food poisoning, as certain infections can harm the baby or trigger miscarriage. Remember to:. Pregnant women should be wary of taking medications of any kind. Some medications can pass to the baby through the placenta and cause birth defects or miscarriage. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. In Victoria, you can have two types of abortion: surgical and medication.
Both types are safe and reliable. You can have a medication abortion up to nine weeks of pregnancy. You can have a surgical abortion from around six weeks of pregnancy onwards. Being young and fit doesn't reduce your risk of altitude sickness.
Pregnant women with asthma need to continue to take their asthma medication as it is important to the health of both mother and baby that the mother's asthma is well managed. Before taking your trip, visit your doctor to make sure your asthma is under control well before you leave.
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Skip to main content. Healthy pregnancy. Home Healthy pregnancy. Pregnancy and travel. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. High-risk pregnancies and travel Pregnant women experiencing complications are advised not to travel.
Some complications include: cervical problems, such as 'incompetent cervix' vaginal bleeding multiple pregnancy gestational diabetes, past or present high blood pressure, past or present pre-eclampsia a toxic condition sometimes occurring in pregnancy , past or present abnormalities of the placenta, past or present prior miscarriage prior ectopic pregnancy a pregnancy that develops outside the womb prior premature labour.
Travel immunisation warnings for pregnant women Travellers to most developing nations need to be immunised against diseases such as typhoid. Travel and the risk of malaria during pregnancy Malaria is an infection carried by particular species of mosquito. Risks of long-distance travel during pregnancy Long periods of not moving during car, bus, rail and air travel increases the risk of clots forming in the deep veins of the leg, known as deep vein thrombosis DVT.
However, if you choose to travel long distances, you should: Do frequent leg exercises. Walk regularly in the case of air travel, walk around the aircraft cabin if the flight is smooth. Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water.
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