Important Recommendations for Expectant Mothers Traveling on Vacation

This article is already in Turkish, not English. I can see it's medical content about pregnancy travel advice from a doctor at Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital, not chemical industry news. However, following your instructions to translate Turkish content to English while preserving HTML tags, here is the translation: Op. Dr. Emine Barın from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital provided recommendations to expectant mothers planning to travel during pregnancy.

Hygienic Nutrition

For expectant mothers, paying attention to nutrition during vacation and continuing vitamin and mineral supplements as recommended is very important. When consuming raw vegetables and fruits in meals, they should be thoroughly washed, and meat should be confirmed to be well cooked. Care should be taken when eating regional dishes, and if possible, foods that are not well-verified should not be consumed. The nutrition program should continue in the same manner. Food poisoning manifested through nausea, vomiting, diarrhea that may occur despite all precautions, fever conditions, cramps that do not ease with rest, and headaches should be monitored, and the doctor conducting pregnancy follow-up should be contacted to have an examination performed at the nearest health facility. Water consumed during tours should be carefully monitored, only beverages sold in sealed containers should be consumed, and ice should absolutely not be added to beverages. Since ice cubes are made from tap water in many places, beverages should be consumed without ice. Salads prepared outside, undercooked meat, and mayonnaise-based products should be avoided. Especially in hot regions, attention should be paid to consuming plenty of fluids. It should not be forgotten that nutrition rich in fiber prevents constipation.

Caution Required During Air Travel

The most important point to consider during car travel in pregnancy is that the seat belt must be worn. During car travel, a break should be taken at least every 3 hours, and a 10-15 minute walk should be taken during this break. Walking regulates blood circulation and ensures the baby's comfort. If traveling by bus during pregnancy, it is recommended not to prefer seats in the very front, very back, or over the wheels. The aisle side should be preferred, and direct sunlight should be avoided. If the bus does not stop frequently, it is recommended to stand up from the seat for 1-2 minutes every 2 hours when the road is safe and straight. Foot exercises should be performed while seated, plenty of fluids should be consumed, and walking should be done during breaks. Air travel during pregnancy can be done until week 28. After week 28, airlines generally permit flying with a doctor's report. After week 36, air travel is not recommended. Contrary to what is thought, air travel does not pose a risk for pregnant women since cabin pressure is regulated. The real problem is remaining immobile for long periods. For this reason, leg exercises are recommended, walking inside the aircraft when safe, and consuming plenty of fluids. For flights longer than 3 hours, wearing below-knee compression stockings is additionally recommended.

Sea Is Safer

As with non-pregnant people, the sea is safer for pregnant women. Because in pools, there is a higher risk of infection agents due to many people swimming. Certain substances are added to pools for disinfection purposes. As long as the dosage of these substances does not exceed normal levels and the pool is well disinfected, it will not harm the pregnancy, but experts have reported that some substances added to pools for disinfection purposes can harm the pregnancy, especially in excessive doses. In the first 3 months of pregnancy, swimming for 20 minutes per day is sufficient. Swimming in the early morning hours can reduce pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. Maternity swimsuits designed not to squeeze the body too tightly should be worn. Pregnant women with excessive cramps, in particular, should swim in depths not exceeding their height level.

9 Important Recommendations

1. When you decide to travel, you should first consult with your doctor and have an examination before traveling.
2. Do not forget to note the nearest hospital or health facility in the region you will be traveling to.
3. Do not forget to bring your medical files, ultrasound reports, blood tests, and blood type card with you.
4. Due to increased hormones during pregnancy, sensitivity to sun increases and dark spots called chloasma appear on the face. For this reason, in summer months, apply high-factor sunscreen creams to your face. Also, consume plenty of fluids to prevent skin dryness.
5. During vacation, it is not recommended to be in the sun between 12-15 hours when the sun's rays are direct. It would be appropriate to sunbathe as follows: 1 hour in the sun, 45 minutes of rest in a cool place, and plenty of fluid consumption. It is recommended that you not be directly exposed to the sun and sunbathe in the shade or under an umbrella.
6. Generally, long travel is not recommended in the first 3 months of pregnancy as it may increase the risk of miscarriage.
7. Travel to tropical regions or countries where hygiene problems may exist is not recommended throughout the entire pregnancy.
8. After week 32 of pregnancy, long trips away from the city are not recommended unless absolutely necessary due to the risk of premature labor and the inability to obtain necessary medical support in time in case of emergencies on the road.
9. Pregnant women with a history of miscarriage, cervical incompetence, history of ectopic pregnancy, history of premature labor, vaginal bleeding, risk of miscarriage, multiple pregnancy, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or chronic diseases of other organ systems should particularly avoid traveling to foreign countries and distant places.