Do you plan to travel during your pregnancy? Unless there is a specific medical problem, you can do it without any problem; you just have to take into account some aspects:
- Traveling by car. We recommend rest periods of between 15 and 20 minutes every 2 hours, getting out of the car to ‘stretch your legs’, since during pregnancy there is a greater risk of circulatory problems, such as episodes of thromboembolism. The patient should hydrate herself well and take light food that provides carbohydrates that can prevent a drop in blood sugar. In addition, it is not advisable to make long trips alone or driving (and during these trips the seat belt should always be worn). There are adapters for the belt that make it more comfortable to wear; in any case, the belt does not harm the fetus and the injuries it may cause in the event of an accident will always be less than those it prevents.
- Traveling by plane. First of all, it is necessary to know that this is not a problem; you can travel at any time -if the pregnancy is proceeding normally-. Sometimes, airlines may set a gestational age after which they do not allow pregnant women to fly (no one wants to attend a birth in the cabin), so you may be asked to bring a report from your gynecologist showing your expected date of delivery. On long flights it is advisable to get up and walk around the plane. It is also advisable to take 100-200 mg of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) before the flight to avoid the famous ‘economy class syndrome’. You should also know that the ‘security arches’ at the entrance to the terminals do not pose any risk to the fetus.
- Traveling by train. The train is considered a safe means of transport and very suitable for a pregnant woman, as it allows her to get up and move around easily; we could say that it would be the optimal means of transport.
In any case, it is always advisable to take medical insurance to cover any incident related to pregnancy and/or childbirth, especially if you are traveling outside the European Economic Community.
Furthermore, it is not advisable to travel to countries with inadequate sanitary conditions and/or endemic diseases.
Finally, remember that in case of traveling to hot destinations, special care should be taken with the sun, since during pregnancy the skin is much more sensitive and permanent spots may appear; sunscreens with a protection index higher than 30 should be used.
At the same time, the patient is much more susceptible to dehydration, so remember to drink fluids frequently.