What are the air travel risks during pregnancy?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 40 years old and eight weeks pregnant with my second child. During my first pregnancy at the age of 38, I had a low-lying placenta at my 20-week scan, and this moved up by 36 weeks without further complication. Am I more likely to have a low-lying placenta during this pregnancy, also?

I have to travel by air on my 24th and 26th weeks of pregnancy, respectively (four-hour flight), and want to ensure it is safe to do so.

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The lower placenta is observed in many early pregnancies but gradually placenta grows and changes its position in most pregnancies to become normal (posterior).

If you experienced a change of position of the placenta in a previous pregnancy it is likely to happen in this pregnancy as well with time. For air travel, there are restrictions at different months on different airlines. Air travel is mostly considered till the second trimester and mostly not recommended (to be on the safe side) in the third trimester in normal pregnancies.

In pregnancy with any pathology like placenta previa or previous history of abruption, normally advised avoiding air travel.

Here I do not know the complete obstetric history of this and previous Pregnancies. It is better to have an opinion from your treating obstetrician before your travel as he or she would suggest you be better at 23 weeks according to your situation at that time.

I hope you get my point.

Thank you.