Is it safe to travel by airplane in the first trimester?

[Perseids]

The title says it all. Is it safe to travel by airplane during the first trimester? I took a flight when I was about 5 weeks but I really had no clue as I had just found out I was pregnant a day or two beforehand. I want to go home for awhile to visit my family. Is airplane travel generally safe during the first trimester?

I will double check with my midwife once her office opens but I am really curious right now. I'm trying to get the best prices on flights so I don't want to wait too long to find out. Haha.

 

[Larkspur]

It's perfectly safe. I flew several times in my last pregnancy, including a 14-hour trip to Asia and back.

 

[Perseids]

Alright, awesome! Thank you so much for answering!

 

[slg76]

yes, perfectly safe. My hubby is a pilot and he would just prefer you not to get on his plane in the THIRD trimester

 

[sarah34]

I will be flying at 12 weeks and was just told to make sure I walk around a bit more on the plane as u have more blood in ur body when ur pregnant xx

 

[Rachie004]

Yes, it's fine. It's always safe to fly when pregnant, just not a great place to give birth

I've seen a few ladies recommend flight socks to aid circulation which can't hurt.

 

[vickytoria88]

Yes, I flew last weekend

 

[Leids]

Yep it's perfectly safe! I'm flying next week (4 hour flight). Compression socks are nice due to the extra blood/flow.

 

[amjon]

Normally yes (I was told not to but I have several risk factors). Avoid the advanced screening machines though. They have let me pass when I've told them I was pregnant and I've been told I had to have a pat down but I didn't care either way as the pat down is safe for baby.

 

[imaswimmer2]

I flew from pa to ms at 7 1/2 weeks and all was fine

 

[viccat]

Yep! I have been on 8 flights in the last three weeks, and I did double check. My understanding is that airlines have restrictions for the 3rd trimester, just because they don't want you going into labour mid-flight

 

[Starry Night]

I have flown in the first trimester. I ended up losing that baby but I will say that the pregnancy was in trouble before I left. I was playing with fire as I knew I could have miscarried on the plane but it was just a two hour flight so the odds of something like that happening were not very high. I will say that if the cabin pressure is off (which ours was on the one way) you may get horrific cramps which could scare you.

Also, if your sickness is bad you will want your anti-nausea pills with you. Otherwise I think it's perfectly fine. I also flew at 27 weeks when we moved across the country.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Rachie004]

Sorry abot your losses Starry Night

Just so I can understand your post a little better - what do you mean by the cabin pressure being off? Do you mean the flight was unpressurised or that the cabin was pressurised at an altitude setting too high or something else entirely?

 

[susan_1981]

I went to Egypt for a week when I was 6 weeks, flew back a week a later at 7 weeks. My doctor said it was fine, although she wasn't so happy about the destination! Egypt is not a good place for pregnant women is what she said. I'm sure lots of Egyptians would disagree with that! But all was fine with my son x