Pregnant and Flying Issues

Ben1989

Hi all,

My wife and I are planning to fly to USA next week to see direct family. My wife will be 30 weeks pregnant when flying. We’re flying with British Airways.

 My wife is fully healthy with no complications and the midwife was going to sign her fit until she saw that she had a low lying placenta at her 20 week scan. This midwife is a stand-in midwife while the regular one is on annual leave. The midwife advised to get a scan to see if it’s moved.

It has moved and the sonographer confirmed she no longer has a low lying placenta. For all intents and purposes she fully has no complications. 

However, she still won’t sign her off. Her distance to cervix (OS) is 21.7mm and the obstetricians she’s spoken to ‘prefer 25.0m’. From chatting to a friend of a friend who is a great obstetrician he said anything above 20.0mm is no reason for denial of boarding a plane and is the international standard for classification of a low lying placenta.

What are our options? We don’t really know where to go to get a letter. I’m not denying the midwife’s profession but my wife is open and said she was very judgemental, especially with my wife deciding not to have the covid vaccine until after giving birth.

 Will we need this letter for travel insurance?

Browntoa

Yes , you need a "fit to fly" letter AND speak to your travel insurance as it may now be classed as pre existing condition and they should be notified of the low lying placenta issue.

Otherwise you risk self financing incredibly expensive US healthcare yourself in an emergency

Ben1989

Browntoa said:

Yes , you need a "fit to fly" letter AND speak to your travel insurance as it may now be classed as pre existing condition and they should be notified of the low lying placenta issue.

Otherwise you risk self financing incredibly expensive US healthcare yourself in an emergency

Thank you. But it’s no longer an issue as the scan confirms? The sonographer literally wrote ‘placenta not low’

Ben1989

Also, after doing a little bit of searching/research insurers simply say ‘speak to your doctor about travelling’ none actually say require a fit to fly form or anything of the sort. Would the scan report suffice?

Browntoa

You still haven't addressed the "pre existing condition" issue with your travel insurance by contacting them , they will require notification in their terms and conditions. They could refuse to cover her on a risk basis under their own criteria regardless of the results of scans 

Ben1989

Thanks. Most insurers we’ve looked at, however, say ‘you do not need to declare pregnancies’. I’m not sure how that works.

Maybe it’s my naivety with all this but surely if a scan shows the placenta has moved to a safe place (which 95% do after a 20 week scan) surely it’s no longer a complication or a condition?

Sea_Shell

Just tell them everything.    If it's fine then that's OK, if not, then you've dodged a bullet of finding out you're not covered AFTER the event.

[Deleted User]

Ben1989 said:

Also, after doing a little bit of searching/research insurers simply say ‘speak to your doctor about travelling’ none actually say require a fit to fly form or anything of the sort. Would the scan report suffice?

 No but the airline will want it. I was almost removed from a Qatar flight to Australia when about 20 weeks, was holding my back and they jumped to say I wasn't fit to fly despite having letter from hospital. Took a while to persuade them I was fine. 
Had to have a scan and another letter to fly home after in Abu Dhabi where we got stuck due to volcano. 

Ben1989

Yes that’s true. Will call on Monday. Regarding the airline, we’re flying with BA. The midwife has agreed to write a letter saying there are no complications other than a week 20 scan showing a low placenta. We can then produce our scan results to show it’s no longer low laying? 

[Deleted User]

 Good luck and no back rubbing etc as they jump on it to try and protect themselves. 

Ben1989

_shel said:

 Good luck and no back rubbing etc as they jump on it to try and protect themselves. 

I’m sorry I don’t know what back rubbing means in this context haha