Air Travel Can be Safe for Pregnant Women

(October 11, 2009) - The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says it's OK for many pregnant women to fly. (Read about "Healthy Pregnancy") As long as pregnant women don't have any obstetric or other medical complications, they can follow the same precautions for air travel as the general population and fly safely, according to a revised Committee Opinion released by ACOG and published in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

"Since 2001, when ACOG first issued a Committee Opinion on pregnancy and air travel, a number of observational studies have been published confirming that air travel is generally safe during an uncomplicated pregnancy," said William H. Barth, Jr, MD, the chair of ACOG's Committee on Obstetric Practice. "These new studies have made our previous recommendations stronger and more detailed." The recent studies noted by Dr. Barth have shown no increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes among occasional air travelers.

The updated Committee Opinion also addresses concerns about exposure to cosmic radiation during air travel. The opinion says that even the longest intercontinental flights will expose passengers to no more than 15 percent of the recommended limit of cosmic radiation exposure set by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements and the International Commission on Radiological Protection. However, it is possible that flight crew or frequent flyers may exceed the recommended exposure limit.

"Questions from our patients about air travel during pregnancy are some of the most common during obstetric visits," Dr. Barth said. "When a patient with an uncomplicated pregnancy asks about occasional flying, we should feel comfortable saying, 'It's safe.'"

Related Information:

    Travel Health