Know when it is safe to take flights during pregnancy
Airlines’ guidelines for pregnant women planning to take flights
Dubai: There has always been confusion whether pregnant women should take flights and if yes what is the best time do so.
Thousands of expatriate women in the UAE and other Gulf countries prefer to travel back during pregnancy to be with their families to their home countries or the countries of their citizenship to deliver babies.
Also, many pregnant women often have to take flights for various other reasons –either business trip, holidays or family gatherings.
As a general rule of thumb, most airlines will allow pregnant people to fly right up until week 36 of pregnancy, but you should absolutely do your research before booking your flight to check restrictions. You'll also want to consult with your OB-GYN or midwife before traveling—especially if you're at a higher risk for complications during pregnancy.
While you may be accustomed to planning a vacation on a whim or only packing your usual necessities, there's one extra thing you should consider doing before booking a flight during your pregnancy: Opt for travel insurance.
Here are major guidelines offered by the UAE airlines to ensure safety of expecting mothers during their flights.
Emirates
If you’re travelling during or after your 29th week of pregnancy, you will need to bring a medical certificate or letter signed by your doctor or midwife. You may not be accepted on the flight if you travel without one.
The letter needs to include:
- Confirmation of a singleton or multiple pregnancy
- That there are no complications during the pregnancy
- The estimated date of delivery
- The latest date your doctor expects you to be fit to travel
- That you are in good health
- That there is no known reason that would prevent you from flying
You aren’t allowed to fly after the 32nd week of a multiple pregnancy or the 36th week of a single pregnancy.
If you need to travel, you must apply for medical clearance by submitting a medical information form (MEDIF).
Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance cover in case of preterm labour abroad.
Etihad Airways
Pregnant passenger can travel up to 28 weeks of pregnancy without any certificate or letter. In the case of any medical complications, the passenger should consult their doctor beforehand and accordingly decide to travel.
If the doctor advises that there could be an issue, then the passenger is required to fill out the MEDIF form available on the website.
For those having single pregnancies, travel is not allowed from the 37th week onwards.
During 29 weeks to 36 weeks, pregnant travellers must provide a medical certificate.
For those with multiple pregnancies, travel is not permitted from the 33rd week. During the 29th week and 32nd week, passengers need to provide a medical certificate.
Doctor’s letter
- Provide information on whether the pregnancy is single or multiple
- Should be written clearly in English or Arabic
- 'Fit to travel' confirmation by medical professional
- Expected date of delivery
- Confirmed weeks of pregnancy
- Must be stamped by the clinic or hospital or be issued on a letter headed paper
Flydubai
Flydubai permits pregnant passengers to travel up to the end of the 28th week of pregnancy. Post this time, passengers must provide a medical certificate, which should be valid for three weeks from the date of issue.
Those having single pregnancies need to show a medical certificate between week 29-36. From the start of week 37, they are not allowed to travel anymore.
Women having multiple pregnancies are required to show medical certificates between week 29 and 32. From 33 weeks onwards, they are not allowed to travel.
The medical certificate must include
- Expected date of birth
- Number of weeks of pregnancy
- 'Fit to travel' confirmation by the medical professional
- Whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy
- Normalcy of pregnancy
- It must be signed and stamped by a medical professional
Air Arabia
All pregnant women travelling by Air Arabia up to their 35th week need to show a medical certificate before travelling.
This certificate should include
- The weeks of the pregnancy
- Confirming if the passenger is fit to fly
- Certificate must be valid for 14 days from the date of issuance
- It must be signed by a doctor
Single pregnancy women cannot travel after they have reached the 36th week of pregnancy and multiple pregnancy passengers cannot travel after completing 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Pakistan International Airlines
At the time of booking/purchasing ticket, expectant mother/legally authorised person shall declare that she is in a family way/expectant mother is travelling.
Once established, booking/reservation staff shall ensure expectant mother will be carrying valid documents i.e. MEDIF and Ultra Sound report.
The permissible limit of pregnancy is up to 35 weeks i.e. expectant mothers shall not be accepted for carriage if they exceed this limit.
Please ensure that their date of travel must not fall in the 35th week of pregnancy.
Provision of ultra-sound report has been made mandatory to ascertain the gestational age of the fetus.
This is in addition to the existing requirement of Medical Certificate.