Traveling When Pregnant

Some employees should take further precautions before committing to international travel. This is especially true for travel with pregnancy.

• Consider whether work travel is necessary, especially in the third trimester.
• Before departing, identify a medical facility that can provide care at the travel destination.
• Realize that pregnancy may increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
• Understand that air pollution may cause more breathing problems than usual.
• Avoid activities at high altitude.
• Be aware that pregnant employees may be more susceptible to infections. In-country infections may be more severe for both mother and baby. The risk for Zika virus infection is increasingly common in some destinations, and infection carries significant risks for pregnant women and their babies. The CDC provides more information on Zika virus and pregnancy.
• Prepare for the possibility of traveler’s diarrhea. Take precautions to have plenty of clean water near you. Pregnant women may get dehydrated more quickly than other women may.
• Avoid travel to regions where malaria is a problem, if possible.
• Discuss the use of all travel medications with a healthcare provider before starting any of them.