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A friend who is supposed to travel to Italy with me just found out that she's pregnant. She will be about 7 months at the time of travel. She said that her doct. said that it will be okay for her to fly, but honestly, my first thought was/is suggesting that she cancel.
There will be a lot of "moving and shaking" involved with this trip...lots of standing, walking, traveling, and of course a little partying. I just don't think this would be the best thing for someone at that stage of pregnancy.
What do you think? Has anyone ever traveled with, or been 7 + months pregnant during international travel? Would it be "mean" if I suggested that she cancel?
Air travel is absolutely fine in the early stages of pregnancy but NOT SO MUCH in the late stages.
The doctor SHOULD NOT have said it was safe as he has no way to know how her pregnancy will pan out, if it is high risk she should most definitely stay at home. You are prone to DVT on long flights as well, and the risk is higher when pregnant, he has no clue if her blood pressure will be ok or not.
If I were you I'd look for another travel buddy...it's all very well for her to still be keen right now but by the time shes 7 months she'll be looking to sleep and eat and not much else. The hormones will kick in too and she may prefer to spend the time vacumming out her cupboards and making curtains. Don't feel mean, she will probably suggest it herself when the time comes. The last thing you want to do is party when you've got a great big baby in your belly.
There were two recent cases of women travelers going into early labour in the countries they were traveling in. Both have huge hospital bills because their travel insurance didn't end up covering the birth, or the baby's care, afterall. It's a "pre-existing condition" apparently. One couple, Australians whose baby arrived 13 weeks early, owe a Canadian hospital $1million. It could very well be safe and your friend end up delivering no problem back home, or not. It's the "not" that I'd be worried about, as it seems travel insurance isn't going to help you if there's an early birth, with long-term preemie care.
But yeah, traipsing around Italy while that far along could be miserable. Some women cruise through their pregnancies or she could be like me - sciatica, sore swollen feet, lower back pain, and just plain tired, falling asleep while sitting up. A holiday where you're kicking back by the pool or on the beach would be okay but not that sort of trip.
I would let this decision rest with the mother-to-be....and her doctor! I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in a foreign country that late in my pregnancies....
If she goes, tell her to get insurance, just in case!
Air travel is absolutely fine in the early stages of pregnancy but NOT SO MUCH in the late stages.
The doctor SHOULD NOT have said it was safe as he has no way to know how her pregnancy will pan out, if it is high risk she should most definitely stay at home. You are prone to DVT on long flights as well, and the risk is higher when pregnant, he has no clue if her blood pressure will be ok or not.
If I were you I'd look for another travel buddy...it's all very well for her to still be keen right now but by the time shes 7 months she'll be looking to sleep and eat and not much else. The hormones will kick in too and she may prefer to spend the time vacumming out her cupboards and making curtains. Don't feel mean, she will probably suggest it herself when the time comes. The last thing you want to do is party when you've got a great big baby in your belly.
Actually the 2nd trimester of the pregnancy is considered the safest time to travel for most women.
Update on this...The girl in question did indeed decide to travel to Italy at 30 weeks pregnant. She ended up having an emergency c-section in a hospital in Rome...where no one spoke English, due to a ruptured placenta. Baby was rushed to another hospital right after birth because she was not breathing on her own. They now have to stay in Italy until the baby gains 1.5 pounds. Mom's cell phone bill is already $1300...one of the many expenses to come. Not to mention that baby is hooked up to a bunch of tubes in a foreign hospital when she should still be growing in mom's belly.
Moral of this story....DO NOT travel internationally while pregnant. I really wish I would have been "mean" and told her that she shouldn't go...
Update on this...The girl in question did indeed decide to travel to Italy at 30 weeks pregnant. She ended up having an emergency c-section in a hospital in Rome...where no one spoke English, due to a ruptured placenta. Baby was rushed to another hospital right after birth because she was not breathing on her own. They now have to stay in Italy until the baby gains 1.5 pounds. Mom's cell phone bill is already $1300...one of the many expenses to come. Not to mention that baby is hooked up to a bunch of tubes in a foreign hospital when she should still be growing in mom's belly.
Moral of this story....DO NOT travel internationally while pregnant. I really wish I would have been "mean" and told her that she shouldn't go...
I'm sorry to read that. I wish her and the baby all the best.
To be honest, I really don't understand why any woman would taske the risk to travel at that stage of her pregnancy.
I'm surprised the airline agreed to carry her past 30 weeks on an international flight.
I don't think she even knew about an American hospital in Rome. That may be where they took the baby, but I'm not sure...the US Embassy has been working with her over there though. SMH. This is a situation that should not have happened.
There are MANY people that I'm surprised did not advise her against traveling at that stage of pregnancy. This includes her doctor, mother and/or family members...she has an aunt that's a nurse for heaven's sake....as well as the airline and the tour company that we were traveling with. I'm thinking, if all these people are OK with it, who am I to recommend against it?? I'm seriously regretting that decision now.
A friend who is supposed to travel to Italy with me just found out that she's pregnant. She will be about 7 months at the time of travel. She said that her doct. said that it will be okay for her to fly, but honestly, my first thought was/is suggesting that she cancel.
There will be a lot of "moving and shaking" involved with this trip...lots of standing, walking, traveling, and of course a little partying. I just don't think this would be the best thing for someone at that stage of pregnancy.
What do you think? Has anyone ever traveled with, or been 7 + months pregnant during international travel? Would it be "mean" if I suggested that she cancel?
No. She should not do it. I traveled at 7 months because I had to, it was a move. I had to have a note from my doctor for the airline just in case...don't recall if I had to use it, this was 15 years ago. Frankly I'm surprised that her doctor said it would be fine. What if she goes into pre-term labor? No way.
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