No matter how healthy she is, a pregnant mother must get herself thoroughly checked over by a gynecologist before she travels, to ascertain her condition and that of her baby. Furthermore, she must also tell her doctor where she is going, whether she is going by land, air, or sea, how long she will travel, how long she will stay at her destination – in short, everything, so that the doctor can help her determine whether the travel plan will be safe for herself and her baby, and if so, how to prepare for the utmost health, safety, and comfort of both. The gynecologist will also estimate the time of birth, and inform her of everything she must prepare before leaving – including vaccinations.
“Depending on the destination, a traveler might need specific vaccinations. This is doubly true for vulnerable pregnant mothers. Furthermore, the doctor will inform her about dangerous symptoms in pregnancy, that will necessitate her getting checked at the nearest health facility: vaginal hemorrhage, pains or cramps in the lower stomach, egress of amniotic fluid, symptoms of pre-eclampsia (severe headache, sight problems, swelling in the lower face and/or the extremities), severe vomiting or diarrhea, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT),” dr. Cherysa warned.
WHO study has described a 2-4 fold increased risk of thrombosis with air travel. Pregnant mothers have a higher risk of DVT if they suffer from morbid obesity and/or a previous history of disease. Administration of prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin should be started from the day of travel to several days thereafter. Measures to minimize DVT include sufficient hydration, wearing special stockings to pressure the calves, and performing simple leg exercises (stamping the feet, turning the ankles, lifting the legs in turn, bending the knees, getting up and walk around the plane’s aisle once every three hours).