International Travel and Pregnancy

Dr. Wheeler recalls a case where a young woman visiting Cabo San Lucas experienced unexpected vaginal bleeding when she was six months along. On Call International helped coordinate her healthcare through a local hospital and then flew down a nurse to accompany the young woman home. Both she and her baby turned out to be fine, but once in the US she was admitted to the hospital as a precaution.

“You need to have a contingency plan,” believes Dr. Wheeler, who says that medical facilities in countries outside of the US and certainly within developing countries are not comparable to the care you receive here in the States.

Location, Location, Location

“Things change so quickly, you need to check the country out at the time of planning your trip,” cautions Dr. Horsager-Boehrer. Find information from reliable sources like the CDC or the State Department to alert you to any political or disease concerns you should know about.

Traveling abroad isn’t a no-no while pregnant—it just takes some careful planning. After all, it might be easier to travel now with your pregnancy medical kit rather than later with an overstuffed diaper bag.