The pregnant traveller

Abstract

Counselling pregnant women seeking advice about travel should begin with a frank, in-depth discussion about their contemplated trip. While most travel during pregnancy is relatively safe, some women should be urged not to go on their planned trip, or to change their itineraries. But some women are not receptive to such advice. Much of today's popular culture preaches that pregnancy is a normal phase of life, not a health issue, and that restrictions placed on women during pregnancy by the medical profession are largely unnecessary. The women must truly and totally understand potential risks and realise that medical science does not have all the answers, especially as far as risks to the foetus are concerned. The women should be aware that travel may remove them from access to medical care, require immunisations and prophylactic medications, involve long hours sitting in aircraft, necessitate dietary restrictions at the destination, and expose them to extremes of climate, to mention just a few.