Travel & Pregnancy
Description
This article is from the Health Articles series.
Travel & Pregnancy
You've been making plans to take that "trip of a life-time!" But, now you find out you're pregnant. What should you do? Should you still take that trip?
As always, talk with your doctor about your individual situation, but here are some tips from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that may help you decide.
Factors affecting the decision to travel
Although pregnancy is a normal state rather than a disabled condition, pregnant women need to consider the potential problems associated with international travel, as well as the quality of medical care available at the destination and during transit.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the safest time for a pregnant woman to travel is during the second trimester (18-24 weeks) when she usually feels best and is in least danger of experiencing a spontaneous abortion or premature labor.
Women in the third trimester (25-36 weeks) may be asked by their physicians to stay within 300 miles of home because of concerns about access to medical care in case of problems such as hypertension, phlebitis, or false or premature labor. The final decision to travel should be based on consultation with the woman's health care provider.
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