Flying question

So...my wife and I just found out that we're going to be parents. My wife is only about 4-5 weeks pregnant but has been asked to fly to Chicago for work. Is this safe? The dr. said she should be fine and since we're moving back to NY within the next couple months she'll have to fly during her first trimester anyway so am I just being overly cautious? Is long haul travel dangerous for women who have only been pregnant for a short time?

Sorry, but i'm completely clueless when it comes to this and thought that people here might have expereinced the same situation....

 

Dear AE: I believe it's safe until very late in pregnancy. My wife flew to Paris when she was four months pregnant with our first child, and to Houston from Boston when six months pregnant with our second. She was naturally uncomfortable, but there were no ill effects, and those are pretty long flights.

 

thanks--I just wasn't sure if long travel could have a negative impact this early on in the development stage (this will be our first child so my inexperience is causing me to overreact)

 

Can we get a ruling from the Doc on this one? I've heard that early on there's no danger in air travel, but I'm no expert.

 

When you think of the vast numbers of women who have flown at five weeks of pregnancy without any resulting problems (including flight attendants, who do it often), you're pretty safe.

 

When the missus was at the same stage, her OB-Gyn said that it was safe to fly.

 

You said her doctor said it would be ok and you're asking a bunch of sports journalists to support/oppose the doctor's recommendation? : Wouldn't it be better to ask another doctor for a second opinion?

 

Nothing wrong with asking for real-world experiences.

Doctors have been wrong before, you know. Like the time the doc told my mom to give my then-almost-1-year-old brother a tablespoon of honey to help with a cough he had.

 

yeah probably, but i'm a guy so it was either this board or the people in my local pub.

 

A friend of mine flew 2 days before she gave birth. Of course, it was on a private plane and she had her OB-GYN with her, but still.

I think it's safe to fly (unaccompanied by your doctor) until the 3rd trimester.

 

Just give the kid a piece of gum to pop its ears.