From time to time, there are thrilling reports in newspapers that pregnant women give birth to children on planes. The reactions of expectant mothers to this can be roughly divided into two categories:
One kind was so scared that the gate could not go out and the second gate could not go forward. As soon as the stomach hurt slightly, they hurried to the hospital by taxi.
The other kind has a wider heart than the sky, does not remember the expected date of delivery, is too lazy to consult a doctor when something happens, and runs all over the world, causing all kinds of [accidents] that give birth to children in planes and toilets (not in hospitals anyway).
Mothers-to-be will face different challenges at different stages of pregnancy. Apart from the patient company of their families and their own courage and perseverance, they also need knowledge to be armed to stay away from the potential risks during pregnancy as far as possible. For travel during pregnancy, planes, cars or ships are not [scourges].
The safest travel time is in the 14th to 28th weeks of pregnancy, i.e. The second trimester of pregnancy. At this time, the embryo is relatively mature, there is a certain distance from the expected date of delivery, and the risk of abortion and premature delivery is minimal.
Do you need to worry about air radiation?
The radiation generated by household appliances, mobile phones and computers that are normally used in our daily life is far from causing harm to human body.
By the same token, the radiation effect of occasional flying on expectant mothers is minimal, so there is no need to worry.
However, the situation is different for women with occupational exposure, such as flight attendants and business personnel who need to fly frequently.
A study conducted by the US Federal Aviation Administration on pregnant flight attendants shows that the mother’s body cannot provide effective radiation protection for the fetus in her womb.
In other words, the amount of radiation received by the mother during a flight can basically be approximately equal to the radiation affected by the fetus in the womb.
By standard, Pregnant women should limit their exposure to radiation to less than 1 mSv throughout pregnancy (the international standard unit of radiation is Sv, Because this unit is too large, mSv is often used). For example, it takes about 15 long-distance flights of 9 hours to reach the specified total radiation limit. In addition, air radiation is also related to flight altitude and latitude. At the same time, the longer the flight time, the more radiation will be absorbed cumulatively.
In the early stage of pregnancy, the fetus in the womb is not yet mature, and expectant mothers who need work can reduce the possible impact on fetal development by choosing short-distance, low-latitude and low-altitude routes.
Do you need to prepare what before takeoff?
Call the airline in advance to ask if there are any special materials to fill in and confirm the maximum gestational weeks that pregnant women can fly.
Most airlines do not allow pregnant women over 36 weeks of gestation to fly, while some international routes may have stricter requirements. It is better to know the relevant regulations of airlines in advance.
Generally speaking, expectant mothers who travel safely during the gestational weeks (14 ~ 28 weeks) need to prepare the following materials:
1. Medical records
Including all previous pregnancy tests so far, whether there are any special basic diseases, such as congenital heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc.
It is worth mentioning that pregnant women with the above-mentioned special circumstances carry medical records with them, which will be of great help to the development of medical work in case of emergency.
2. Diagnostic Certificate
Major airlines require pregnant women to submit the diagnosis certificate issued by the tertiary hospital before boarding the plane, which must be sealed by the corresponding medical unit and signed by the doctor in triplicate, and must indicate the expected date of delivery and the specific time before which is suitable for boarding the plane.
In order to avoid unnecessary troubles, it is suggested that expectant mothers should prepare corresponding information according to the highest standards. For specific airlines, the information obtained from the check-in counter at the place of departure shall prevail.
3. Special Print Files
Some airlines require pregnant women over a certain gestational week to fill in special materials, such as < < Special Passenger Transport Application Form > > < < Special Passenger Transport Record Form > >, etc., which can generally be downloaded from the airline’s official website.
Precautions in flight
1. Have you fastened your seat belt correctly?
Similar to riding, pregnant women’s safety belts are not tied to their stomachs, but should be tied above their thighs and below their stomachs. (Figure below)
Wearing seat belts in this way can not only avoid compressing the abdomen, but also provide expectant mothers with safety protection in case of emergency.
Step 2 Try to choose aisle seats
If you are placed in the window seat, you have to trouble your neighbor to give way to the toilet. Where can you have the chance to walk in the gap between long-distance flights?
At this time, choose a seat near the aisle in advance, you can drink water with confidence and boldness. First, running to the toilet from time to time is no longer embarrassing, while exercising lower limbs reduces the risk of thrombosis. Secondly, dehydration caused by insufficient drinking water is avoided-why not?
Long-distance flight requires vigilance against deep vein thrombosis.
Under the action of hormones, the blood in expectant mothers is in a hypercoagulable state. Some studies have found that the incidence of venous thrombosis in pregnant women is five times that of normal people. If you add sedentary time during long-distance flights, it is easy to bury hidden dangers for deep venous thrombosis.
The most dangerous complication of deep vein thrombosis is acute thrombosis, resulting in fatal pulmonary embolism.
Therefore, if a pregnant woman finds sudden pain and swelling in one lower limb, she must not ignore the carelessness and need to seek medical treatment immediately to avoid tragedy.
Pregnant women who need long-distance flight can move their feet on their seats, or get up and walk from time to time, and can also prevent the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis by wearing medical elastic socks. It is worth noting that elastic socks belong to medical devices and need to be purchased through formal channels. Do not buy fake and inferior products for coveting cheap prices.