Is it safe to travel by air during pregnancy?
Many women have concerns about the safety of air travel while pregnant. Flying in airplanes is safe during pregnancy and there is no indication that it causes future complications. The change in barometric pressure noted during flight has no serious effect on pregnancy.
The biggest issue relates to the timing of your travel and whether there have been complications with the pregnancy prior to that time. Although it is safe to travel at any point during your pregnancy, many airlines have restrictions on air flight beyond 36 weeks. You may need permission from your physician to fly at a later date. Your physician may not want you to travel far distances by airplane after approximately 34 to 35 weeks. Access to medical care is restricted during the plane flight should you need medical attention. In addition, both you and your physician may prefer that you stay closer to home late in your pregnancy to ensure that you receive proper medical attention if you go into labor. If you have had complications during your pregnancy, your physician may prefer that you stay close to home so that prompt intervention may be undertaken if problems arise. Should you choose to travel, it is probably a good idea to take copies of your medical records with in case of an emergency.