Not that long ago, pregnancy was considered a more disabling condition than it is today. For example, there was a time when pregnant women were encouraged not to, if not outright forbidden by their doctors, to travel. Today, we know through modern medicine and advances in research that travel during pregnancy is not only generally safe, but that it can be important for a pregnant woman to be able to travel, and to do the other things that women who are not pregnant can do.
Having said all of that, the best time to travel during pregnancy is definitely during the second trimester of pregnancy. The second trimester is the time of pregnancy during which you will tend to feel the best. It is also when you will feel the most like traveling. During the first trimester of pregnancy, many women feel fatigued, and wouldn’t enjoy traveling as much. In addition, many women in their first trimester of pregnancy are especially prone to motion sickness. While there have been some studies that have tried to link air travel, for example, with first trimester miscarriages, there is no conclusive evidence that this is the case.
During the third trimester, it is likely that you won’t feel much like traveling as your pregnancy continues. Your abdomen will continue to grow and grow, and you will often become much more uncomfortable in general. You should, however, be able to travel during almost the entire third trimester, right up until about two to three weeks before your due date. At that point you won’t want to be traveling too far from your health care provider.
If you’re traveling during pregnancy, there are some things that you need to keep in mind. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you probably will want to avoid travel if possible. Also, if you are traveling out of the country, you should try to make sure that you have been vaccinated prior to becoming pregnant, as most of the time you won’t be able to get vaccinated while pregnant. You should also be aware of airline regulations about travel. Finally, be sure to wear your seatbelt in the safest manner, with your belt under your belly and strapped across your lap.
