Flying While Pregnant

Ronnie Godfrey

Ronnie Godfrey

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
100
Location
Longview, TX
Display Name
Display name:
Ronnie Godfrey
Good morning, POA!

So my wife is 26 weeks pregnant and we have a trip scheduled to Tulsa tomorrow (about a 2 hour flight in the Cherokee). The pregnancy is going well and the doctor just said on Tuesday that our baby girl is perfectly healthy. We've planned to fly for about 2 weeks now, but she's become apprehensive about flying because she found an article saying that un-pressurized flight is not recommended. We'd only be flying at about 4,500 and I tried to explain that airliners are pressurized to 8,000 ft. most of the time. Have any of you flown with a pregnant passenger (or ladies, pregnant yourself)? I want to ease her apprehension about it if possible, and cancel the flight if need be.
 
My wife traveled extensively while she was pregnant. We finally came home from New Zealand when she was in her 3rd trimester. I'm a physician and read the medical literature on the subject and I was comfortable with it. The partial pressure of oxygen is much higher at your planned altitude than commercial jets are. I would be ok with it. There is some possible risk though (like there is with basically everything) and only you guys can decide.
 
Back in the day I had a lady who was eight months pregnant fly herself over the Cascades to Yakima and back. Her doc had said it was OK.

Bob
 
Why is everything in weeks, after 4 weeks it goes to month+week.

Anywho, at work yeah, personally no as I'm not in the market for kids right now.

But 4500' shouldn't be a issue for her, if you really want to go overboard get her a pulse oximeter for her finger from CVS or somewhere.

Real world she's probably more likely to hurt the thing tripping, or driving a car, or something than going on a little GA flight.


For whatever reason in my experienced the overly cautious parents always ended up with weaker and sicker kids compared to the parents that still lived their life and later let the kids be kids, I'm not saying she should go do a line of coke and join a boxing club, but if going on a little flight in your plane is this big of a issue for her, not exactly a good sign of things to come.
 
I've never seen any roadside signs warning pregnant women not to drive a car over a mountain pass, and 4500' is a pretty low pass. Of course, at 26 weeks your wife will probably need to pee every 20 minutes and you can't predict when nausea may strike, so be prepared for that.

Congrats on the soon to arrive child!
 
Ronnie Godfrey said:
Good morning, POA!

So my wife is 26 weeks pregnant and we have a trip scheduled to Tulsa tomorrow (about a 2 hour flight in the Cherokee). The pregnancy is going well and the doctor just said on Tuesday that our baby girl is perfectly healthy. We've planned to fly for about 2 weeks now, but she's become apprehensive about flying because she found an article saying that un-pressurized flight is not recommended. We'd only be flying at about 4,500 and I tried to explain that airliners are pressurized to 8,000 ft. most of the time. Have any of you flown with a pregnant passenger (or ladies, pregnant yourself)? I want to ease her apprehension about it if possible, and cancel the flight if need be.
Click to expand...

Denver is higher than 4500 ft ASL and I'm sure expectant mothers there are not required to seek lower altitudes. ;)
 
Yes I have. As long as she isn’t in her third trimester yet and could give birth at anytime, it is safe.
 
Happy wife,happy life. Let her and her doctor make the decision.
 
bobmrg said:
Back in the day I had a lady who was eight months pregnant fly herself over the Cascades to Yakima and back. Her doc had said it was OK.

Bob
Click to expand...
Must have made for an interesting flare during landing.
 
frfly172 said:
Happy wife,happy life. Let her and her doctor make the decision.
Click to expand...

Not really.

I've known more than a few men who have gone by that poor advise, they compromise on everything and end up so unhappy they ether devorce, or cheat, or worse are miserable for the rest of their lives.

The logical stuff compromise on, like if you have a bike and she has a sports car, might be time to buy something with more space in the back, or maybe secure your firearms differently, or turn your office into a nursery, but non sensical stuff like trying to put the brakes on your flying for no logical reason, I'd nip that right in the bud
 
My wife flew with me until 8.5 months pregnant and we went way higher than 4500 ft.

The real test is going to be to see how our 3 month old does in the plane.
 
James331 said:
Why is everything in weeks, after 4 weeks it goes to month+week.

Anywho, at work yeah, personally no as I'm not in the market for kids right now.

But 4500' shouldn't be a issue for her, if you really want to go overboard get her a pulse oximeter for her finger from CVS or somewhere.

Real world she's probably more likely to hurt the thing tripping, or driving a car, or something than going on a little GA flight.


For whatever reason in my experienced the overly cautious parents always ended up with weaker and sicker kids compared to the parents that still lived their life and later let the kids be kids, I'm not saying she should go do a line of coke and join a boxing club, but if going on a little flight in your plane is this big of a issue for her, not exactly a good sign of things to come.
Click to expand...


“A line of coke and join a boxing club” hahaha

F9B7927D-DB1A-44FA-A930-8A9CB4FCA025.jpeg
 
Do not fly! Obviously it would be ok. But if ANYTHING (Heaven forbid) happens to the baby ever YOU WILL BE BLAMED FOREVER. You not dealing with linear logic.
 
It is seldom that I hear anything so absurdly stupid. That means anyone pregnant in Denver is at horrible risk. And I can't imagine the fate of all those poor folks in Lhasa.
 
No issues. We flew with my wife pregnant more or less up until 8 months. The big issue is making sure that the legs are short enough that she can get to a bathroom at appropriate intervals.
 
steingar said:
It is seldom that I hear anything so absurdly stupid. That means anyone pregnant in Denver is at horrible risk. And I can't imagine the fate of all those poor folks in Lhasa.
Click to expand...
Have you ever heard words like "acclimatized" or "conditioning"?

My suggestion would be to make the flight but have oxygen available. Either borrow or buy a small bottle.
 
I love it: a bunch of old dudes giving pregnancy advice.

The reality is that he only answer that will convince your wife is going to come from her OB/GYN, not from a bunch of random strangers on the internet.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Do not fly! Obviously it would be ok. But if ANYTHING (Heaven forbid) happens to the baby ever YOU WILL BE BLAMED FOREVER. You not dealing with linear logic.
Click to expand...

Whats the point of being alive if you dont live?
What would that teach the kid?
Sorry but the only way the meek inherit the earth is in 6' boxes


JOhnH said:
Have you ever heard words like "acclimatized" or "conditioning"?

My suggestion would be to make the flight but have oxygen available. Either borrow or buy a small bottle.
Click to expand...

If she needs to go on o2 at 4500' its not a matter of that she shouldnt be flying, she needs to be in the ER ASAP!
 
Morgan3820 said:
Do not fly! Obviously it would be ok. But if ANYTHING (Heaven forbid) happens to the baby ever YOU WILL BE BLAMED FOREVER. You not dealing with linear logic.
Click to expand...
Please tell me you’re kidding. What would happen to the baby?
 
I would think the only risk would be leaded gasoline. If you're worried about O2 sats, have her wear a pulse oximeter but I don't think two hours at 4,500ft will amount to much.
 
If you make good decisions as PIC, the riskiest part of the flight will be getting in and out of the plane, closely followed by ground transport at your destination. That is as true for clumsy pilots like myself as it is for pregnant passengers and their unborn children.
 
James331 said:
If she needs to go on o2 at 4500' its not a matter of that she shouldnt be flying, she needs to be in the ER ASAP!
Click to expand...
She probably wouldn't have to use it, but anxiety or a panic attack can cause hyperventilation, in which case oxygen would be good to have. I carry a bottle in my Bo. We have only used it twice when crossing the Rockies, but it is good to have anyway.
 
JOhnH said:
She probably wouldn't have to use it, but anxiety or a panic attack can cause hyperventilation, in which case oxygen would be good to have. I carry a bottle in my Bo. We have only used it twice when crossing the Rockies, but it is good to have anyway.
Click to expand...

In that case she needs to see a shrink
 
My wife flew until about a week before our kids were born, and then again about 1.5 weeks after they were born (with the newborn in tow). No issues. We did quite a bit of research at the time, and the bottom line is that if the mother is okay, the baby will be okay.

Of course, I’d always recommend talking with your doctor(s), but if they give the green light then I wouldn’t worry about it.
 
Zeldman said:
I had a pregnant lady on a flight once. She was not pregnant anymore when I landed.







Ok, so it was a medevac flight.
Click to expand...
Would have been interesting if you had to declare:

"Number of souls on board?"
"3.1. Now 3.2 . Now 3.3..."
 
My wife flew pregnant with our son several times in the 172. No issues with the pregnancy. My son however, this could explain a lot of things. :)
 
JOhnH said:
Have you ever heard words like "acclimatized" or "conditioning"?
Click to expand...
Therefore pregnant women driving through Denver put their unborn children at risk. Am I the only one who sees the absurdity in this? I know new parents get nervous, but really?
 
Down to bickering. Okay, change the question. Should his wife fly while getting pregnant?
 
What about, like, just a little bit of coke? Not a full blown habit though.
 
Pregnancy isn't a disease or a handicap. It's a normal condition for females and they'e been living their lives while pregnant since life began, including working farms, pursuing professional careers, chasing older kids, running their homes, etc, and they excel at it. Women are pretty incredible in that respect. Having kids is the best thing most of us will ever experience. Grandkids are right up there, too.
 
Ronnie Godfrey said:
Good morning, POA!

So my wife is 26 weeks pregnant and we have a trip scheduled to Tulsa tomorrow (about a 2 hour flight in the Cherokee). The pregnancy is going well and the doctor just said on Tuesday that our baby girl is perfectly healthy. We've planned to fly for about 2 weeks now, but she's become apprehensive about flying because she found an article saying that un-pressurized flight is not recommended. We'd only be flying at about 4,500 and I tried to explain that airliners are pressurized to 8,000 ft. most of the time. Have any of you flown with a pregnant passenger (or ladies, pregnant yourself)? I want to ease her apprehension about it if possible, and cancel the flight if need be.
Click to expand...

She (and the unborn) will be fine. It's not going to make a difference, especially over such a short amount of time. It's not like you're on a 13hr flight to Europe. I assume you're flying into RVS?
 
Ronnie Godfrey said:
So my wife is 26 weeks pregnant and we have a trip scheduled to Tulsa tomorrow (about a 2 hour flight in the Cherokee). The pregnancy is going well and the doctor just said on Tuesday that our baby girl is perfectly healthy. We've planned to fly for about 2 weeks now, but she's become apprehensive about flying because she found an article saying that un-pressurized flight is not recommended. We'd only be flying at about 4,500 and I tried to explain that airliners are pressurized to 8,000 ft. most of the time. Have any of you flown with a pregnant passenger (or ladies, pregnant yourself)? I want to ease her apprehension about it if possible, and cancel the flight if need be.
Click to expand...

I flew with my wife quite a bit while she was pregnant, and I asked a lot of questions of the OB/GYN about it.

Obviously, her blood oxygen saturation (O2sat) is the most important thing, so if either of you is really worried about it, just have her wear a pulse oximeter and make sure it stays above 90%. However, if it goes below 90% at 4,500 feet, that's an indicator that she has something else seriously wrong with her.

The reason they don't recommend women fly on airlines late in pregnancy is so they're not too far from the hospital should the baby pick that particular time frame to begin their final approach. However, she said driving is just as bad because you can end up far from a hospital when you're driving on a long trip as well. So, she said flying GA was actually a great way for us to travel, since we should be able to easily divert and get her to a hospital, likely faster than either the airlines or driving.

So, tell your wife that's what our OB/GYN said, and enjoy the flight! Pretty soon, you'll be having flights more like this:

IMG_0963.png IMG_0967.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top