Monique Rainford

My patients often ask me if and when is it safe for air travel in pregnancy. In general, if her pregnancy is normal, a woman may safely travel to about 35 weeks (eight months) of pregnancy.

If she has certain medical problems or complications in pregnancy, such as a high risk for early delivery, diabetes which is not well controlled, high blood pressure of pregnancy or sickle cell disease, she should not travel.

Seat belt below abdomen

The airline environment may put a pregnant woman at higher risk for a condition known as venous thrombosis (blood clots in the deep veins of her legs or pelvis). Her risk for this condition still very small, is higher than that for a non-pregnant woman. To decrease her risk, she should remain well hydrated by drinking a lot of liquids during the flight.

She should also try to exercise her legs either by walking when it is safe to do so or using certain exercise devices. She may also wear special support stockings. This is particularly important for long flights in which she should attempt to exercise every one to two hours.While seated, she should always secure her seat belt below her abdomen to avoid risk of trauma due to air turbulence.

Sit close to restroom

Other useful preparations which may make travel more comfortable include wearing loose and comfortable clothes and shoes, taking medications such as gravol to ease nausea, eating frequent, small meals, avoiding gas-producing food or drink before travelling to minimise bloating and sitting close to a restroom. Having a travel companion and less hectic travel plans may reduce the stress of travel and allow for assistance in emergencies. It is also advisable that she gets plenty of rest before and after travelling, especially for long journeys.

The most common pregnancy emergencies occur in the first or third trimester and if they do occur, they can be very serious, therefore, she should pre-arrange for care in the visiting country should it become necessary. She should also travel with a copy of her antenatal records in the event that she requires care.

A healthy woman with a normal pregnancy can continue to enjoy air travel for most of her pregnancy, provided she takes the appropriate precautions.

Should I be in menopause?

Dear Dr. Rainford,

I am a 46-year-old female. I am in good health, my period has been regular since my first time at age 13. I had a very healthy baby girl in the summer of 2004, my pregnancy was okay, no complications, even my blood pressure was stable.

At this age, I am still having my period, as mentioned above, regularly. I wonder if this is normal because some of my friends of my age and two and three years younger told me that they are in their menopause.

Dear Reader,

Yes, this is most certainly normal. Menopause occurs when a woman's periods stop permanently. If she is age 40 and older and has had 12 months without periods in the absence of pregnancy, it is likely that she has reached the menopause.

Although some women, like your friends, experience menopause in their early 40s, the average age is about 51. Before a woman's period stops, they may start to become irregular. The perimenopause is the time between the start of the irregular periods and the menopause. On average, this occurs when a women is between 47 and 48 years of age.

The age of menopause depends on one's genes and very few factors can change it. However, cigarette smoking may decrease the age of menopause by about two years. Thank you for your question.