Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Traveling During Pregnancy – Is Air Traveling Safe?

September 15, 2016
pregnancy - fit to travel medical certificate

My whole family went to Davao last April 2016, I was 32 weeks pregnant that time, to attend my brother’s wedding. I was hesitant at first to attend because, well, I’m afraid to travel by air while pregnant. Who wouldn’t be? I hadn’t experienced bleeding or any pregnancy complications with my second pregnancy (unlike my first) and I wanted to have it that way. I would rather stay at home. But he’s my only brother and it’s his wedding and so I did attend!

Before traveling, these are the questions I considered:

  • Is air traveling safe during pregnancy?

For most women, YES! These are the lucky women who have no pregnancy complications. Your doctor is the only person who can give you an approval regarding this so scheduling for a visit to his/her clinic is a must!

 

  • What is the airline’s policy for pregnant women?

Since I’m traveling through Cebu Pacific, I did some research about their guidelines. Below are what’s been specified in their Terms and Conditions of carriage of passengers and baggage:

Except for flights to or from the United States, an expectant mother must advise the Airline of the progress of her pregnancy at the time of check-in. On all flights, expectant mothers with age of gestation thirty-four (34) weeks and beyond are required to present a medical certificate with the notation “Fit to Travel” and signed by a physician. Except for flights to or from the United States, the expectant mother must complete her travel within the validity period of the medical certificate which should be ten (10) days from date of issuance.

For flights to or from the United States, the expectant mother is required to submit a medical certificate for her outbound travel only; the medical certificate must be dated within ten (10) days of the scheduled date of initial departure.

In my case, even though I was only 32 weeks, I still requested for a medical certificate just to be sure. Try to do your own research as well if you’re traveling through another airline.

 

  • Any requirements for getting medical certificate?

To get a medical certificate, your doctor will need to be sure that you’re indeed ‘Fit to Travel’. He/she may require to do some tests to you. For some pregnant women, a Cardiotocography (CTG) will be done to check if your baby’s heart beats at a normal rate and variability. This test will also measure your Braxton Hicks contractions.

In Chong Hua Hospital, this is done in the labor room and it costs around Php600 (note: price may have changed by now).

I stayed there for at least an hour I think and this was what they gave me after checking that my baby’s OK and my contractions are normal.

pregnancy - fit to travel medical certificate

 

So if you’re planning to travel, make sure you consult your doctor first. He/she can give you advice on how to stay comfortable and what are the symptoms you need to watch out for. Also, if there’s a prescription given to you, it’s best to buy it before traveling.

There you have it! Hope this article helps. Enjoy your travel!

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