Giving Birth In The Air

Binthu,

Good to hear from you here, but I need to say that although individual airlines may have their own policies on pregnant traveler, I am sure that they all have a common policy for pregnant travelers above 27 weeks of their pregnancy. Upon check in, they are required to have certification letters of their due dates from their gynecologists. All airlines are strict about this issue where they will forbid domestic travel beyond thirty-six weeks of pregnancy and international travel beyond thirty-two weeks.

I felt that the check in staff and the boarding gate attendant are responsible here. Their oversight is unacceptable. Not belittling a low cost airline but even the full cost ones because no one in the crew can handle obstetrical emergencies aboard! It is also a fact that travel insurances will deny coverage here as this is traveling on full knowledge of the risks and an act of negligence.

I am glad that both the mother and newborn are unscathed from this incident. But at the possibility of the dangers and even death is just indigestion for me.

katsmeow1213,

I do agree with you to a certain extent here but being a parent, I can take that this mother is inexperience and having her first child. I am sure you can remember how it is liked, but let's not forget about the airline's policy on pregnant travelers.

I felt that this episode could have been avoided if the check in and boarding gate attendants had done their job with more care and diligence. I am sure they would have discovered this unfit traveler, denied her boarding and prevented this incident. I am sure you are wary with me that all airlines forbid domestic travel beyond thirty-six weeks of pregnancy and international travel beyond thirty-two weeks. Also, that they are unable to handle obstetrical emergencies aboard their aircraft.

I feel slighted that the airline is more culpable here.

As I already said, I don't think it should be up to the airline to ask each woman if she is pregnant. Not every woman that looks pregnant actually is pregnant, and not every pregnant woman appears pregnant... so how is the airline supposed to know other than ask each individual woman! That's ridiculous.

Whether or not it was her first child, it's still her fault. When I was having my first child I was told not to travel after the 3rd trimester, so she should have known better.

People just don't have common sense anymore and it becomes so aggravating.

I totally agree with katsmeow1213. The mother should be more responsible. Although, the airline is partly responsible too. If they have carefully screened the pregnant women, this wouldn't happen. Usually the airline doctor should require a certification from the ob-gyne and a copy of an ultrasound report so they would be able to validate the term of the pregnancy and avoid any miscalculations. Certification should not be enough as this can be doctored. I guess bottomline is, the mother should have avoided flying in the first place especially being in the trimester of her pregnancy already. She shouldn't have been selfish. She should have thought about the safety of her child.

EnglishTeaDuck,

I am sorry but I beg to differ. The mother cannot be SOLELY responsible.

In case you are unaware but all airlines have a policy for pregnant travelers. Although, it may differ with different airlines but let me assure you that they are all about the same. I think I will elaborate for everybody's knowledge.

For one, those who are traveling within four weeks of due date a medical certificate is required (American Airlines further specifies that this rule applies for a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy).

Most airlines will forbid domestic travel beyond thirty-six weeks of pregnancy and international travel beyond thirty-two weeks.

Now, I am going to anticipate and further elaborate here, that this policy being too technical and that the mother especially for new and inexperience ones, are unaware and that they will not be able to know being nowadays flights are being booked online. So, everything will then be left at the check in counter where the staff will have to verify the mother's fitness for the trip. Just for your info, their duties go beyond checking the identity and baggages of the travelers. When they see a pregnant traveler they have a duty to follow company's policies and safety regulations.

So, how do you think that the airline is not a bit or at all responsible?

aseretdd,

I am sorry that you have taken this discussion as somewhat slighted towards a fault finding mission. However, I believe in the saying where we learn from our mistakes and that being aware of the dangers of air travel, I just felt that there is a need to mention this case and let everyone learn from it.

If you can simply try and picture a case where the birth actually goes into complication like risk of blood clots thromboembolic disease or deep vein thrombosis where the blood clots may tear loose and travel to the lungs. This event, known as a pulmonary embolism and it is often fatal. Or, umbilical cord complications? In short, all airlines are unable to handle obstetrical emergencies aboard their aircraft.

So, the parent should be wary and avoided making the travel. Then, the airline staff at the check in should have checked out this mother's condition and follow company's policy which is really for the good and safety of the mother.

I am sure the mother was given a medical certification by her doctor that she is fit to fly... and because of that... the airline admitted her... but the pressure or stress must have triggered that moment... it is just a good thing that a doctor was on board...

I am sure the mother was given a medical certification by her doctor that she is fit to fly... and because of that... the airline admitted her... but the pressure or stress must have triggered that moment... it is just a good thing that a doctor was on board...

Yes, thats exactly what its like. Not. Seriously??!...lol

2timothy,

Well, in case you fancy the novelty here, let me assure you that it will be really dramatic beyond your anticipation.

Try imagining the event when the plane is 30,000 feet above the middle of the Pacific Ocean and the pregnant traveler goes into labor, with the nearest airport being umpteen hours away. If it is not thrilling enough, let Mr Murphy throw in some birth complications....so as you can see now, the very reasons why airlines have a certain policy for pregnant travelers.

Though the situation can be odd and uncomfortable in a car, but I suppose it will still be safer than having a stacked up odds in an airplane cabin.

I'm sorry, but that seriously has to be one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard. Giving birth on a plane in the middle of a flight is absolutely, positively not better than giving birth in a car. At least the car is on the ground, most likely en route to a hospital or birthing center, and the woman will have reasonably quick access to medical care in the event that something goes wrong with the birth.

The plane would have to divert to the nearest airport for an emergency landing (such as what happened in this case), and if there isn't a doctor on board who knows what he or she's doing, who's going to end up assisting with the delivery? The flight crew? Other passengers? It's needlessly and recklessly endangering both the mother and the child, especially if the mother knew she was close to her due date and decided to fly anyway. What if the baby had been in the wrong position and she'd needed a Cesarean section? The baby could have died before they got the mother to a hospital.

And I don't care how many times a woman's given birth in the past--comparing it to a bowel movement is ridiculous. Leave it to someone who's biologically incapable of giving birth to come up with a comparison like that. Maybe this is why men don't give birth--they'd be too busy telling each other to walk it off to take care of themselves properly afterward!!

I understand the anxiety of each woman in labor but many in highly-developed countries may never realize how simple giving birth is in the countryside. No one there would have heard of the C. They just call in the midwife as travel to the nearest town clinic would be daunting. My comment is indirectly derived from their sharings.

zed_k4,

The airlines all have a common policy for pregnant travelers where when they are above 27 weeks of their pregnancy, they are required to have certification letters of their due dates from their doctors or gynecologists.

All airlines are strict about this issue where they will forbid domestic travel beyond thirty-six weeks of pregnancy and international travel beyond thirty-two weeks.

The policies may differ here and there but they are just about the same. And as usual, always check when in doubt when making your travel reservations.

they should require as well a copy of an ultrasound report to confirm the term of the pregnancy. people today are very creative. they can be creative to get a certification from their family doctor and certify them less than their term period just to be able to travel on air.

Thanks for explaining, sky..
I agree with you; it's best to check the regulations in different countries that we are about to travel to or from..

maximax8,

Like you, I am just equally surprised as well.

I am just not amused how the check in and boarding gate staff had been casual, too casual, here. I just hope that the staffs will pay more attention here as bookings are now done online and travelers mostly are quite ignorant about the policies of every individual airlines.

I am sure that the child will be a keen traveler especially when his mother can have all the reason and ease of traveling extensively together.

jemaries,

Thank you for your response here.

But, I cannot help but ask you the very question on how a pregnant traveler in her late stages of pregnancy can actually be on board the plane here?

I mean you simply just cannot walk into an aircraft prior check in right? So, I am actually questioning if the check in staff had an oversight in this discussion where it led a dramatic rerouting for the airline and make an emergency landing.

Care to think otherwise?

some pregnant woman specially first babies, you cannot determine whether its there due date,unless by reports.Because some of them small tummy.Unless they changed in the report that its only 6mos. but its almost the delivery is coming.I have co-workers actually doing this cases, because some reason they want to delivered in philippines so they will go home to my country when there delivery period is coming,and they need to changed the date of how many mos. there babies,because they will not accept in the airport,actually in the airport is very strict.

jemaries,

And your point, if I may assume that you are faulting the pregnant traveling mother here. Is that what you are trying to indicate?

Well, I do see your points raised here and I just want to add there, that they will actually not be covered by their travel insurance if they had done those falsifications. They will end up having a lot of trouble and lives could be lost here.

I just hope that you will persuade them out of it if you come to learn of their foolish attempts like these.

Take care.

cwong77,

I am wondering if the check in staff had actually asked for the certification letter in the first place.

With what you have disclosed here, I just do not think so and it is a fact the airlines have to be wary and exercise the policy when they have a pregnant traveler at the check in.

So, this incident could have been avoided and I just hate to see the airport staying in this state.

4mymak,

Thank you for the follow up article.

However, I will play the devil's advocate here that the article may not be reflecting the truth where there might be a cover up. There are just some circumstances and accounts that lead me to think otherwise here. I mean this is a premature birth and it just opened up even more perspective into this issue. Perspectives like the airline trying to cover it's tracks or the traveler's letter had be falsified.

I hope that the relevant people will reflect with this and that they start to pull up their socks.