Flying during 1st Trimester - really safe?

[LROM]

Hi all, what's the collective wisdom here on MDC about flying during the 1st trimester of pregnancy? I flew during the 1st tri of both of my 1st 2 pregnancies, which both resulted in m/c's, but I am quite sure there were many other reasons for those m/c's. When I got pg with DD, I saw an unconventional doctor as well as my regular docs, and he forbid me to travel - I think for the whole pregnancy. I definitely did fly a couple times, but not in first trimester, and DD was born healthy.

Now pg with DC2, and am supposed to travel in 1st tri for work. Tix were bought awhile ago but now that I know I'm pg I'm wondering what y'all think here about this issue?

Thanks wise mommas!

[gradstudentmommy]

I've flown during all of my pregnancies during the first trimester and only one ended in miscarriage. If I'm recalling my research correctly, flight attendants do not have a higher risk of miscarriage and they fly a lot more than most of us. One of the main risks of flying is radiation. I read (though I can't cite the source) that for every 10,000 miles you fly, that's like getting the same amount of radiation as one x-ray. I can't imagine in one trip you'd be flying anywhere near 10,000 miles.

Personally I would go on the trip but that's just my two cents. I'm sure other mamas on here have researched this a lot more thoroughly than I have.

[MaerynPearl]

totally agree with other poster.

I had to fly early on with this one to meet my midwife (as I was living 1100 miles from where I do now early in the pregnancy and she wanted to meet in person once before now to be sure we got along) and neither my midwife nor my doctor were the least concerned.


All they had to say was - STAY HYDRATED!

lol... but when dont they say that?

(FWIW I totalled 6 flights this pregnancy, 4 earlier on and 2 just a few weeks ago. The ones a few weeks ago were so much harder on my body than the 4 earlier on!)

[kalamos23]

Originally Posted by gradstudentmommy

One of the main risks of flying is radiation. I read (though I can't cite the source) that for every 10,000 miles you fly, that's like getting the same amount of radiation as one x-ray. I can't imagine in one trip you'd be flying anywhere near 10,000 miles.

Yikes - we are flying crosscountry and that is ~6000 miles round trip...

[kalamos23]

Just wanted to add, I'm not really concerned about the radiation - just didn't realize it was a little over a 1/2 an xray!

[meg_shannon]

What reasoning?

What reasoning did the unconventional doc give you for not flying/traveling? Radiation, pressure changes, what?

Armed with that information it should be easy enough to look up some studies/research to determine the validity of the claim. I have access to several medical journals, I'll see what I can find if you can point me in the right direction (just PM me).

BTW the risk to a fetus in a car accident is huge (there is no good way to protect the "belly" in an accident), but we all still drive/ride in cars most days. So to really evaluate if a behavior is dangerous to your unborn perhaps it should be weighed against risks that are already taken. For example if you are willing to drive at X risk to the fetus, but are unwilling to fly because of Y risk; and Y risk is less than X risk....then why would you be unwilling to fly? Because it's not a risk you would normally take? At that point it would be a good idea to evaluate the logic behind your decision.

[matey]

I flew from Missouri to Italy when I was around 9 weeks pregnant with my son and everything was fine. I did have a previous loss before my ds, but I had not flown. I dont think I would worry about it. I dont think the flying would lead to the m/c. I am no expert, but I just dont think that has anything to do with it.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by meg_shannon

BTW the risk to a fetus in a car accident is huge (there is no good way to protect the "belly" in an accident), but we all still drive/ride in cars most days. So to really evaluate if a behavior is dangerous to your unborn perhaps it should be weighed against risks that are already taken. For example if you are willing to drive at X risk to the fetus, but are unwilling to fly because of Y risk; and Y risk is less than X risk....then why would you be unwilling to fly? Because it's not a risk you would normally take? At that point it would be a good idea to evaluate the logic behind your decision.

this was a huge part of my argument to DH about why me flying the 1100 mile move rather than riding in the moving van was such a good idea. I did not feel comfortable with the risk of being in the truck that long (not just the risk of an accident, but also silly risks like peeing myself because I suddenly have a baby head against my bladder when we are 10 miles from a rest area) also in the argument was how it was cheaper to fly me for 12 hours (between leaving one house for the airport and arriving at the other house) than to have me ride 1100 miles while I would have to stop so much more often to get out and stretch my legs and/or pee.

[mra]

My midwife had no problem with me flying. I sure hope it is safe. I flew from Arizona to Germany to Ireland to France to Spain to Italy to Germany and then back to Arizona in the beginning of June!

[somegirl99]

Flights during this pregnancy and everything has been fine (all were round trips). Although I would recommend against the 3rd trimester international travel, it was extremely uncomfortable.

1st trimester:
SF-Vancouver
SF-Vancouver
SF-Vancouver
SF-DC

2nd trimester:
SF-St. Thomas (via Chicago or DC)
SF-Toronto
SF-Vancouver
SF-Boston

3rd trimester:
SF-Sao Paolo, Brazil (via Houston)
Various domestic flights in Brazil

[MamaPhD]

I would say it's more about being tired and uncomfortable than "real" risk to the fetus. When I had to travel during my 1st trimeter (California - Florida - and back) for work, I had such a bad time. I was only 6-7 weeks preg at the time and I chose not to tell my boss about my pregnancy yet and therefore couldn't cancel the pre-planned work trip. I would NOT do it again for sure!
(Upside)
1. I didn't have to tell about my preg until 13 weeks
2. I did go to work conference & got to go to Disney for 1/2 day
(Downside)
1. I threw up everywhere, including airplane/airport bathrooms
2. Soooo beyond-belief tired the whole trip so didn't get much work done
3. Ended up having some bleeding, which was SUPER scary (but was OK in the end)
4. Passed out at the airport from combination of #1 thru 3

[HeatherB]

Another vote for having flown in 1st tri with no problems. I did stay well hydrated, made sure to move my legs a lot (doing stretches while sitting is important so you reduce risk of DVT), and was fortunate to get exit row seats on both flights. (I was only about 8 weeks along, so no worries on having to operate the exit row if necessary.)

One thing I did that helped a lot for overall comfort and hydration was to take my insulated Klean Kanteen water bottle with me, empty, in my carry-on. Then, once past security I found a Starbucks where they filled it for free with ice water (or at another airport I had to pay a little at a different shop). Then, I refilled it as much as possible on the plane when the offered drinks.

I also had my carry-on packed full of high-protein, easy-to-eat snacks. And I sat and rested and snacked constantly - in the airport, in the shuttle van, on the plane, etc. I ate the snacks throughout the conference I attended, too. Having them on hand kept me from being FAR more sick than I was. I didn't end up having to leave any of the conference to be sick, nor did I get sick in the airport.

So, I would personally not worry too much, but I would be prepared.

[LROM]

THANKS EVERYONE!!! I feel much better about it, I'll be making this trip!

To Meg, that doc didn't give a specific reason. In retrospect I think the reason people flock to this guy is that he is so adamant about you stopping things that most people don't have a problem doing, by doing what he says people basically will themselves to get "better" (or not have problems). Kinda like "the placebo effect". I had so many interesting "treatments" at this guy's office... but he's really popular and even on the radio locally. I even saw someone leaving with their dog the 1st time I went to him and heard him giving orders on their way out the door... this doc treats pets too!

I know, I know... why was I worried... LOL!

For the record my OB also supported me not flying in 1st trimester, but that was more from a "stress of air travel" point of view than anything about radiation or anything else. He just felt like given my prior 2 m/cs he preferred I take the 1st trimester really easy. But DH will be with me on this work trip (along with DD) and it's so much easier travelling with him so I'm not worried about the stress of it.

Again, thanks everyone!

[xekomaya]

Originally Posted by gradstudentmommy

I read (though I can't cite the source) that for every 10,000 miles you fly, that's like getting the same amount of radiation as one x-ray. I can't imagine in one trip you'd be flying anywhere near 10,000 miles.

It's actually about the time and altitude of your flight, not distance. At 30k ft. you are exposed to 1mrem every 2 hours - so that is like a dental x-ray. A chest x-ray would be about 10x that dose or 20h in flight.

If you're interested, the American Nuclear Society has neat pages and calculators.