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Traveling While PregnantPlanning for a Healthy PregnancyTraveling While PregnantFactors Affecting the Decision to Travel Before and During PregnancyReproductive-aged women who may be planning both pregnancy and international travel should consider preconceptional immunization, when practical, to prevent disease in the offspring. Since as many as 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, reproductive-aged women should consider maintaining current immunizations during routine check-ups in case an unplanned pregnancy coincides with a need to travel. Preconceptional immunizations are preferred to vaccination during pregnancy, because they decrease risk to the unborn child. A woman should defer pregnancy for at least 28 days after receiving live vaccines (e.g., MMR, yellow fever), because of theoretical risk of transmission to the fetus. However, no harm to the fetus has been reported from the unintentional administration of these vaccines during pregnancy, and pregnancy termination is not recommended after an inadvertent exposure. Vaccination of susceptible women during the postpartum period, especially for rubella and varicella, is another opportunity for prevention, and these vaccines should be encouraged and administered (even for breastfeeding mothers) before discharge from the hospital. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the safest time for a pregnant woman to travel is during the second trimester (18-24 weeks), when she usually feels best and is in least danger of spontaneous abortion or premature labor. A woman in the third trimester should be advised to stay within 300 miles of home because of concerns about access to medical care in case of problems such as hypertension, phlebitis, or premature labor. Pregnant women should be advised to consult with their health-care providers before making any travel decisions. Collaboration between travel health experts and obstetricians is helpful in weighing benefits and risks based on destination and recommended preventive and treatment measures. In general, pregnant women with serious underlying illnesses should be advised not to travel to developing countries. Contraindications to International Travel During Pregnancy
Visit the Babies Travel Lite Travel Guide for more helpful travel tips and other useful travel information.
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