Air travel in pregnancy: the 'air-born' study

An increasingly common question posed by patients antenatally is whether air travel can be considered safe in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to assess whether any agreed standards or policies exist between airlines with respect to flying in pregnancy. Sixty-eight international airlines were surveyed, of whom seventeen (25%) replied. Three of seventeen (17.5%) airlines applied no restrictions at all to pregnant passengers; the remainder applied restrictions to air travel with varying gestations (28 to 36 weeks). A full delivery kit was carried by 5/17 airlines (29%), and some form of training in the management of a delivery was provided to the cabin crew in 12/17 airlines (70%). Experience of in-flight obstetric emergencies was reported by 11/17 airlines (65%). This study highlights a lack of consensus regarding restrictions on air travel in pregnancy. The low response rate also suggests an unwillingness on the part of the airline industry to openly declare their policy on this issue.