Travelling while you’re pregnant (Your second trimester)
The second trimester is a great stage of pregnancy to go on holiday. You won’t be too big yet, you’ll be feeling pretty good and it will be still safe to fly. However, there are some safety precautions you should take when travelling during pregnancy.
Avoid destinations where malaria is endemic.
These include India, Africa and parts of South America. If you do have to travel to a country where malaria is common, ask your GP to prescribe you an anti-malarial drug that’s safe for pregnancy, such as chloroquinine. You may need to add proquanil for some destinations.
Avoid countries where you will need vaccinations.
Although some are safe in pregnancy after 12 weeks, live vaccines such as oral polio are not.
Stay safe on the plane.
Pregnant women who fly are at a small but significant increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the medical name for blood clots. These clots can prove life threatening if they reach the lungs. Keep well-hydrated, wear flight socks, and get up and walk around at least every hour to boost your circulation. Practise clenching your calf muscles by flexing your feet up and down 10 times every hour to boost circulation. Try to do this on any long car, bus or train journey too, as they also pose a risk of DVT.
Take a photocopy of your medical notes with you.
Just in case you go into labour prematurely, pack your notes – they contain valuable information that will be needed by your healthcare professionals. It’s also important to know your blood group in case of an emergency.
