Learning to Fly during early pregnancy?

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K29

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k23
I am working on my private and just discovered I am 6 weeks pregnant!:)
I want to continue as long as safe and finish in the next 3 months. We are in a 172 and usually only train 1000 ft- 1500 ft locally, and 4000-6000 ft only for cross countries. Some safety concerns I have for are checking fuel during my preflight, if the sound of the engine will harm the fetus, and any fuel fumes I could be inhaling that could cause harm. I am determined to finish but want to be safe and not selfish.
Any thoughts or comments are appreciated!
 
K29 said:
I am working on my private and just discovered I am 6 weeks pregnant!:)
I want to continue as long as safe and finish in the next 3 months. We are in a 172 and usually only train 1000 ft- 1500 ft locally, and 4000-6000 ft only for cross countries. Some safety concerns I have for are checking fuel during my preflight, if the sound of the engine will harm the fetus, and any fuel fumes I could be inhaling that could cause harm. I am determined to finish but want to be safe and not selfish.
Any thoughts or comments are appreciated!
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I doubt your OBG will endorse your continued lessons.
 
I am a 26 year old daughter of a mom who flew until she had me. Check with your OB but you should be just fine!
 
I also knew someone who instructed up until the 8th or 9th month. At the end, she only flew with people who were already pilots, though. But I agree to check with the OB-GYN in case you have any conditions that might preclude it.
 
A friend of ours was skydiving until she was about 7 months along. Her unborn child had more jumps than half the people on the dropzone
 
My sister flew with me during her first pregnancy. Be sure to consult with your OBGYN as others have said. From what I remember, it's totally safe until the 3rd tri-mester and than it will be time to put the brakes on it.
 
Have heard plenty of stories of pregnant folks flying. One person mentioned here on this site long ago that the OB-GYN recommended use of good gloves when handling 100LL and limiting exposure to it, but other than that, no big deal.
 
Yay for you! Consultation as a matter of course. My wife flew professionally until 7 months or so, then comfort became an issue more than anything.

And I have yet to see a road sign that says "Mountainous terrain ahead, turn back if pregnant."
 
Don't drink aviation gasoline.
Get a pair of gloves to wear while fueling.


Enjoy!
 
Working on private so probably won't be fueling the aircraft.

Get some nitrile gloves for sumping and sticking the tanks. They are cheap, single use so no build-up of lead or hydrocarbons.

If you visit a shop to see the innards of an aircraft be aware some cleaners and glues that mechanics use might be undesirable to inhale. Mostly things are pretty benign but fiberglass work and specifically epoxy can be bad.
 
Not to detract from the point (overall valid) but epoxies are generally pretty begnin stuff - it's the polyester resins (used in boats, auto repair, ect.. certainly not in airframe construction or repair) that I would think are a "must avoid". At occupational levels of exposure epoxy can eventually become an irritant. MEK, OTOH...

Clark1961 said:
Working on private so probably won't be fueling the aircraft.

Get some nitrile gloves for sumping and sticking the tanks. They are cheap, single use so no build-up of lead or hydrocarbons.

If you visit a shop to see the innards of an aircraft be aware some cleaners and glues that mechanics use might be undesirable to inhale. Mostly things are pretty benign but fiberglass work and specifically epoxy can be bad.
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I would think the only additional risk factor would be derived from leaded gasoline. I know going to a gun range while preggo is discouraged because of the lead in the air.
 
As other have correctly noted, it's really a question for your obstetrician. For illustration -- i.e. not medical advice which can only be provided individually by your physician -- a history of placental abruption would probably make flight training inadvisable. That's just one example of risk, though. Chances are vastly greater that none of these factors exist.

Other members have given great advice about environmental factors to consider, none of which should really deter your ambition.

The other issue to consider and discuss with your instructor is human factors . For instance, are you experiencing nausea that may distract or incapacitate during critical phases of flight? What about fetal motility (baby goes full-MMA on your spleen during short final)? Of course, this just adds to the normal human factor considerations that all airmen should train and practice -- especially during solo training.

The FAA guidance for aviation medical examiners states:

Pregnancy under normal circumstances is not disqualifying. It is recommended that the applicant's obstetrician be made aware of all aviation activities so that the obstetrician can properly advise the applicant. The Examiner may wish to counsel applicants concerning piloting aircraft during the third trimester. The proper use of lap belt and shoulder harness warrants discussion.
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I'll have to rely on a non-lurking member to provide that link or you can search FAA Pregnancy Guidance a sort through the results/

If we agree to slightly modify the question to Is it reasonable to consider flight training during pregnancy after consulting with my obstetrician and flight instructor? -- I think the answer is an enthusiastic Yes!

You should also consider naming the baby after an aviation pioneer for more classical names or your favorite local waypoint for a more modern turn.
 
Your OBG might advise you not to, but that doesn't mean it's not okay. Many docs will just say no to anything they're not sure of to CYA. See what the recommendation is for flying commercial when you're pregnant. Commercial aircraft are usually pressurized to around 8,000, and all your training is going to be below that, most likely. I see pregnant women flying commercial right up until they pop! (Probably a bad choice of words there.)

Another thing to consider...You're NOT going to have the time to finish your training for LOOOOOONG after the baby is born!

DO IT NOW!

(And congrats)
 
PPC1052 said:
Wait. Does this make her your sister AND your mom? Weird.
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What's weird is how you've managed to misconstrue that statement and turn it into inappropriate innuendo.

Weird.
 
Even if you are cleared by your physician, have someone else sample the fuel and refuel the airplane for you. Anything else is a game of Russian roulette.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1665412/
"The authors found that lead exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy was more strongly linked to later decreases in the MDI (mental development index) scores than exposure during the latter two trimesters."
 
Ryanb said:
What's weird is how you've managed to misconstrue that statement and turn it into inappropriate innuendo.

Weird.
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Who said inappropriate? I'm not judging.
 
dmspilot said:
Even if you are cleared by your physician, have someone else sample the fuel and refuel the airplane for you. Anything else is a game of Russian roulette.
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Do you have any data to support the concern that the occasional fueling or fuel-sampling of a general aviation aircraft causes a measurable increase in serum lead levels ?
 
Congratulations and whatever you do DO NOT ask the FAA.
 
Clip4 said:
I doubt your OBG will endorse your continued lessons.
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Z06_Mir said:
Why wouldn't an OB? There is nothing dangerous about flying and being pregnant.
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I work in the field, but am not an OB-GYN physician. I've heard several women ask both training and flying with their spouses. Usual response is everything you've read here already and they probably will say "OK" at non-oxygen required altitudes with the lower the better for oxygen issues. If you've had any complications, expect to get talked out of it.
 
Fly up to the point you have food cravings. Nobody wants to fly with someone eating sardines and jelly...:)

Congratulations...:)
 
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