The main concern about air travel with pregnancy is the increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during or after the flight.
What is DVT?
DVT is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body, mostly occurring in the legs. A deep vein thrombosis can break loose and cause serious problems in other parts of the body like the lungs.
The risk of DVT increases with increasing duration of the flight and advancing gestation. DVT risk is increased because of the increased hypercoagulable state associated with pregnancy and poor venous circulation on long haul flights. Anything above 4 hours is considered a long haul.
One way to reduce the risk of developing DVT is for pregnant women to get up and walk about every 4 hours. This improves venous circulation in the legs. For most pregnant women, this is not a problem as very few pregnant women are able to hold their urine for longer than 4 hours so they will most likely get up and walk to the lavatory. Another way is for pregnant women to wear special thromboembolic deterrent (TED) stockings during the flight. It is advisable for pregnant women to drink water regularly during the flight so as to prevent dehydration which can precipitate a hypercoagulable state.
Symptoms of DVT
Common symptoms include:
- Warmth and tenderness over the vein
- Pain or swelling in the part of the body affected
- Skin redness
However, DVTs can occur without significant symptoms.
