quick clicks

pregnancy today articles

pregnancy today q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

A Trip for Two

Traveling While Pregnant

By Gail Pirics

For those who suffer morning sickness or motion sickness, Dr. Morrison cautions against over-the-counter remedies. "I do not recommend any medications for motion sickness," he says. "Over-the-counter medications are relatively safe but I recommend some caution."

"Traveling in a plane is just as safe as driving in a car," Dr. Morrison says. "The cabin altitude is never high enough to cause any problems to the baby. But just for that short segment of time [during the flight] remember that medical care is extremely limited. Realize where you're going to be and what medical attention would be rendered."

"Most airline personnel are helpful and have some emergency medical training and can usually deal with things very well," Dr. Morrison says. "Being cautious is the most important factor, and you definitely want to be back before the last six weeks of the pregnancy."

Before sailing off to an exotic port-of-call Dr. Morrison suggests first checking the individual cruise lines for their restrictions on pregnant travelers. Some lines may limit travel beyond a specific point in the pregnancy, and costly evacuation fees usually come at the traveler's expense.

"Disney Cruise Lines won't allow you to travel on their cruise ships after [a certain] week of pregnancy," Dr. Morrison says. "I tried when traveling with my wife."

While foreign travel is not forbidden during pregnancy, Dr. Morrson cautions against embarking on travel to unfamiliar countries. "You have to have knowledge of the medical care that's going to be rendered," he says. "And the medical care rendered in foreign countries is very different from the United States. There's also a big difference between a woman traveling to Italy where she was born and raised (and is familiar with the care available) versus Antarctica where they may not have any medical care for 500 miles. Just use common sense and be cautious of any problems that can arise during the pregnancy."

Want to see more?

• The Traveling (and Pregnant) Life: On the Road While Expecting
• Bask in a Babymoon: A Last Hurrah Before Becoming Parents
• Expecting a Spa Experience: Why Are Moms-to-be Heading to the Spa?
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!