Travel scares were an important part of my pregnancy experience. Moreover, what I experienced may be a thing of the past, for mother’s who read this journal in years to come.This entry is for the mother’s to be who are not afraid to jump on a plane until 36 weeks , or until her OB tells her she absolutely can no longer fly the friendly skies.
There are two instances in these 9 months I had been presented with two fabulous work trips. The first was not a travel scare, but more of a travel be aware of those who tell you –
” you can not travel overseas because you are in fact pregnant”
I had a very opinionated person stop me from traveling to the middle east because I was pregnant and in my second trimester. I asked my obgyn if this was at all a medical issue, or could have placed my unborn child in any risk. My medical provider stated- “You are healthy, and past your initial screenings. I see no problems with you traveling. I also see no problems with flight times of over 14 hrs in travel”. So to all those mother’s out there that feel they run the world and are not scared of flying- you can! Do not listen to everyone, and ask the one person that matters, your doctor.
Now in the second situation things were much different. I was presented with a second work trip to Aruba. After planning and getting excited I had learned of a news article that CNN published in January on the Zika Virus. The Zika Virus according to the Centers for Disease Control is a disease that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). More importantly, the virus has also been associated with a rise of microcephaly birth defect cases. The birth defect is characterized by a malformed or smaller head and brain and can result in significant developmental delay. Women who are pregnant have been warned to travel to 14 countries. Sadly, for me one of those 14 was Aruba. Yet again I could not travel. My baby’s health was much more important that to soak up some sun and hike a beach.
It is important to know what is going on with each destination we travel to while pregnant. Of course we can never live life in fear, but we can certainly take precaution when necessary when we know another life if involved. Aruba and Dubai will be there in years to come for my baby and I to see together.
