Air Travel During First Trimester

[Laurie73]

MY DH and I are going to TTC starting in August. I have a business trip that is mandatory for me to go on across the country in mid-October. I've read conrflicting reports regarding travel during the first few months and I'm wondering if maybe we should wait until after my trip to ttc. Has anyone travelled via airplane during their first trimester? If so, what was your experience?
Thanks

[GearGirl]

All the time, I have never heard travel restricted during the first or second trimester on a regular plane. I would however be cautious on tiny puddle jumpers (the really small planes) where the cabin is not pressurized like it is on other planes. I traveled during the first and second, even third trimesters during both of my pregnancies, and there were always tons of pregnant women doing the same. I say go for it, but if it makes you more comfortable wait! Good luck .

[lizabird]

I can't think of any particular reason that you need be concerned about air travel during the 1st trimester. The only thing I can think of is possibly morning (read: all day) sickness - there's a chance you may feel totally crappy and nauseated, but then you might feel just fine too, you never know.

[Laurie73]

My sister-in-law was telling me that she knew of two women who both miscarried after flying during their first trimester. Of course, there could and probably were a slew of unrelated problems. It just got me thinking....but in my heart I don't want to give up my plan to start trying in August...

[BrookeAD]

I have never heard of anyone having complications during the first tri.

[blastomom]

I've worked with loads of flight attendants who flew non-stop all throughout their pregnancies without any ill effects.

[Nightsky]

The only thing I thought of when reading your post was the increased risk of radiation exposure. I searched and found an informative post about pregnancy and radition during flying by the Health Physics Society.

[Pariah]

I flew at 9wks pregnant, and started bleeding the day after we got home from a three-day trip. Everything ended up being fine (went through the rest of my pregnancy with no complications, had a very easy homebirth), but they weren't able to find out exactly what caused the bleeding. The doctors' (I went to the ER when I started bleeding, as per instructions) and midwives' best guess was that the change in air pressure (and possibly the altitude sickness I had...we lived in FL at the time and went camping high in the mountains in CO) could have caused it. I was told not to fly anymore at all during my pregnancy. I'll probably always be paranoid about flying while pregnant (probably wouldn't even fly at all while pregnant again), just because it was extremely mentally stressful for me to go through everything I did at the ER (to the point where I was physically ill because of it).

[bigbellydreams]

I flew during my first trimester. That pregnancy ended in m/c, but probably would have anyway. I had some bleeding around 4 and 8 weeks, then an u/s at 9 weeks showing a heartbeat. Then went on the plane around 11 weeks. Had some bleeding after that. Then when I got home had some more bleeding. Then at an appt at 13 weeks we did another u/s and found out there was no longaer a heartbeat. Can't really say that was because of the flight though, I had problems before the flight too. I also have other problems we found out about later and needed to be on progesterone to keep my dd. Then had another pregnancy that ended in m/c and was not on the prog, so I think that first loss was more of a prog problem then a taking a flight problem. BUT we are TTC now and have a trip planned in mid June and I am very nervous about the flight anyway.

[Eman'smom]

I've flown during the first trimester, the only problem was morning/all day sickness and turbulence, I held onto my Sprite and sipped it for dear life.