 Travel
during pregnancy
Continued
from page 2
Now I'm here
You may find that you are getting tired more easily so what better time
to relax, chill and enjoy some pampering than on your holiday. To make
life easier, remember some simple points:
- You will get hungrier than before so have frequent small meals.
- You may need the toilet more often than usual so try to make sure
that if you go on an excursion while on holiday there are adequate toilet
facilities
- Find out on arrival how to locate a doctor. Package holidays should
have a representative who can help you, but all good hotels should be
able to help you find a doctor.
- In many countries, tap water is not suitable for drinking, so stick
to bottled water unless you are sure the tap water is safe, and avoid
ice and unpeeled fruit.
Exercise during pregnancy can help you stay healthy and this is the same
when on holiday as long as you're sensible about what form of exercise
you do. Swimming is ideal as the water will completely support your body.
Sightseeing will include plenty of walking which is an ideal exercise
in pregnancy, just make sure you have comfortable shoes. However, some
exercises and holiday activities should be avoided in pregnancy. Apart
from the obvious such as bungee jumping and paragliding, other activities
to avoid are:
- Water skiing - moving fast through the water or coming off
the skis could force water into the cervix.
- Scuba diving - Scuba diving in pregnancy is generally ruled
out as the foetus is of theoretically greater risk of decompression
sickness (the bends) even when the mother is not affected. If you develop
the bends then it may lead to termination of the pregnancy.
- Saunas and hot tubs - these can cause your body to over-heat
at a core level, including the amniotic fluid. Dr Jo Lee says "There
is some evidence that over-heating during pregnancy may cause damage
to the baby's developing nervous system." Because saunas prevent you
cooling down through sweating they are best avoided in pregnancy.
- High altitude activities - such as mountain climbing. At heights
of 3,000m or more, the oxygen level in the air is low. This compromises
the oxygen available to your baby. Pregnant women are also more vulnerable
to developing altitude sickness.
- Activities with an increased risk of falling - activities such
as trampolining, skiing, rock climbing and horse riding all have a high
risk of falls which could be dangerous to both you and your baby.
Sun sense
During pregnancy, your skin can be more sensitive and prone to irritation.
This is especially true when it comes to exposure to the sun. When pregnant,
your body produces more of the hormone melanin, which affects the pigmentation
of your skin. You may notice a dark line running down the middle of your
bump (linea nigra) and this can become darker in the sun.
Exposure to the sun can also cause irregular pigmentation called chloasma
to occur on your face. This is also known as 'the mask of pregnancy' because
it is a darkened area of skin in the shape of a butterfly, typically spread
over the eyes, cheeks and chin. It isn't harmful and will go away after
your pregnancy.
Moles may show up darker during pregnancy but according to Cancer UK
"It is not true that moles are more likely to become cancerous during
pregnancy."
However, during pregnancy skin is more susceptible to burning so always
use a good quality sun cream of at least SPF 15. You are also more prone
to chafing and prickly heat so cool, loose clothing made of natural fibres
such as cotton is best.
Back home
As pregnant women are more susceptible to certain conditions related
to travel, such as DVT (deep vein thrombosis or blood clots in the legs)
or infections, it is important to be aware of signs and symptoms which
may occur several days or even weeks after your return home. If you experience
any symptoms which you are worried about, do seek medical advice making
sure to mention you have been away, especially important if you have been
to a malarial country or on a flight.
DVT
This usually, although not always, only affects one leg and signs to look
out for include swelling and tenderness below the knee, often accompanied
by heat and redness. You may experience fever, chills, headaches, muscle
aches, and fatigue. Other common symptoms could include nausea, vomiting,
diarrhoea, anaemia, and jaundice.
Malaria
Most symptoms occur between 10 days and 4 weeks, although in some cases
it may take up to a year. Malaria produces an illness that resembles flu,
with fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting,
and diarrhoea are not uncommon and anaemia and jaundice may also occur.
As in any stage of pregnancy, with or without travel, if you have any
unusual discharge or bleeding or are at all concerned about your health
or that of your baby, seek medical advice.
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