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I have a few trips coming up over the next few months and just found out I’m pregnant. Is it safe for me to fly? I’ve heard that flying exposes you to higher levels of radiation — is this true? And what about other risks, like changes in atmospheric pressure?
—Lubia
The short answer is that flying is broadly safe during pregnancy, although there are a few things to be aware of. So here’s a list of what to think about and what not to.
- Radiation: You do not need to worry about radiation in flying. It is true that there are recommended limits to radiation exposure in pregnancy, and it is also true that the radiation exposure during flight is slightly higher than when you are on the ground. However, unless you are taking very frequent high-altitude long-haul flights, you will not come close to even the very conservative recommended limit on radiation during pregnancy.
- Air pressure: Airplane cabins are pressurized, but to a lesser extent than on the ground. At cruising altitude, the air pressure in the cabin is similar to what you’d find at 6,000 to 8,000 feet of altitude, or slightly higher than Denver, Colorado. Although the CDC cautions against high-altitude travel during pregnancy, it focuses on much higher altitudes than this — say, above 12,000 feet. This moderate altitude increase is not really of concern.
- Giving birth: A main concern with flying during pregnancy is that if you are very late in pregnancy, you could end up having the baby far from home or, if you’re particularly unlucky, on the plane. It is for this reason that generally flying is not recommended after 34 weeks of pregnancy, or if you are in danger of preterm labor.
- Deep vein thrombosis: One of the risks of flying for anyone is deep vein thrombosis — a blood clot developing in the lower leg, which can travel elsewhere and cause a stroke. This is rare, but pregnancy puts you at risk for DVT in general, and so doctors worry a bit more about flying. There are ways to lower your risk, including walking around mid-flight and moving your feet around. Again, this risk is very small and confined to longer-haul flights.
Bottom line: Flying is pretty safe! Stop by 34 weeks, and move your feet around. Otherwise, enjoy.
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Agree with this (though I remember flying after 30 weeks and I was too uncomfortable to lift even a small bag. I couldn’t have flown without my husband helping.) The one thing I’d add is that nobody should go through body scanners, and this is particularly important in pregnancy. They are only checked once a year, if that, to calibrate how much energy they are throwing off, so some are almost certainly throwing off levels that approach radiation. Not what you want when pregnant, or ever. Get TSA pre if you can or get the alternate patdown screening if necessary.