Pregnancy

While once we thought of taking to the air as a supernatural event, catching flights is now as routine as Zooming your therapist.
During your pregnancy, the health risks of flying are considerably low, depending on what kind of pregnancy you’re having (low or high risk). Before 36 weeks, you’re considered good to go – but there are other factors at play. Here’s what you should keep in mind before jet setting, says Wilson Tauro, Air France-KLM Country Manager Southern Africa.
Pre-travel advice and immunisation
Depending on your destination, advice about vaccination and malaria prevention may be different if you are pregnant. That’s why it is extremely important to be properly informed, especially when visiting countries where infectious diseases such as malaria are prevalent. In some cases, travel to a country could even be discouraged because of the risks. Pregnant women or women who want to get pregnant should also avoid travelling to countries with outbreaks of Zika.
READ MORE: 6 Surprising Signs You’re Stressed Out (And Need A Holiday)
How far into your pregnancy can you fly?
KLM recommends that women who are more than 32 weeks pregnant should not fly. The airline also discourage flying – for you and your child – during the first week after birth. If you are expecting a multiple birth, the airline recommends that you consult your doctor before any flight. If you have had complications in the past, you should get your doctor’s permission to fly. Additionally, it is recommended that you carry a recent pregnancy statement with information about the due date and other relevant information. In many countries airline staff may want to see that. Regulations differ from one airline to the next, so always check before you travel.
READ MORE: Apparently 35 Percent Of People Think It’s Totally Fine To Drink During Pregnancy
Cosmic radiation
In a normal situation, the cosmic radiation exposure of a return trans-Atlantic flight can be compared to the same amount of exposure as when you have a chest X-ray. As with X-rays, any radiation can cause damage to genetic material inside a cell. However, there is no evidence that a trans-Atlantic flight increases the risk of abnormalities. To be on the safe side it is recommended to avoid frequent air travel when pregnant. For KLM flight crew there are special regulations regarding exposure to cosmic radiation.
Increased risk of thrombosis
If you are pregnant, you already run a greater risk of developing thrombosis. Flying will increase this risk. Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which blood clots can form in the deep veins of the body, particularly the legs. In an aircraft, the dehydration caused by the dry air may thicken your blood. In addition, the relative immobility of sitting in a confined space for a long period can cause blood to collect in your legs.
READ MORE: Exercising While Pregnant: How One Flitfluencer Scaled Down Her Approach
There are a few things you can do to prevent or reduce the risk of thrombosis:

During long flights, walk around the cabin every 15 to 30 minutes, if possible
Do some simple stretching exercises while you are seated
Only sleep for short periods – up to 30 minutes at a time
Move around after every nap
Drink plenty of water
Avoid alcohol and caffeine

Wearing compression stockings can also help.
If you are worried about DVT during the flight, consult your doctor beforehand to discuss how to best reduce the risk. More

Listen: It’s totally normal to want a glass of wine after a long day at work—yes, even (or, honestly, especially) when you’re pregnant.
And many people—pregnant or not—still think it’s totally fine to have a drink during pregnancy.
That’s according to a new survey from Cameron Hughes Wine, an online wine brand in the States. Of 1,032 people polled, 35 per cent said that it’s okay to drink wine on occasion when you’re pregnant. The other 65 per cent said you definitely shouldn’t do this.
So…which group is correct? Some very preliminary research suggests that low levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy might not be linked to bad health for the baby—and many women get mixed messages from the media and even their doctors since it’s tough to say how much booze during pregnancy is too much (scientists haven’t come anywhere close to nailing this down yet and most current research suggests that recommendations should be on a case-by-case basis).
But it’s important to keep in mind that Dr Christine Greves, a board-certified gynae at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies—along with most medical organisations — say you should totally skip the booze while expecting.
“A safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has not been determined,” confirms Greves. “That’s why we recommend complete abstinence.”
And sorry, but the theory of drinking at the very end of your pregnancy (you know, because the baby is already “cooked”) hasn’t been proven legit. “Alcohol impacts foetal growth at all stages of pregnancy,” says Greves, who notes that it comes with some pretty scary potential consequences, including fetal alcohol syndrome (a condition that causes brain damage and growth problems due to alcohol exposure during pregnancy), structural issues with the baby’s body, and even issues with the baby’s heart, kidneys, or bones.
Women’s health expert Dr Jennifer Wider, agrees. “The latest research tells us that the safest choice is not drinking anything during your pregnancy,” she says.
So, uh, if you want to drink during your pregnancy, maybe just don’t. You’ll be able to kick back with a guilt-free glass of wine after the baby has left the premises.
The bottom line: Drinking during pregnancy definitely hasn’t been proven to be safe for baby, so it’s best not to risk it.
This article was originally published on www.womenshealthmag.com

READ MORE ON: Health Health Advice Pregnancy More