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It started as a TikTok clip that racked up 6,84,000 views: a mom-to-be at 38 weeks flying to France, hiding her bump at the airport.
What caught doctors’ attention (and went viral) wasn’t just the audacity of a last-minute babymoon; it was the real medical risk behind it. “Please, please do not lie about how pregnant you are to get on a flight,” warns London OB-GYN Vandermolen. “Babies can sometimes arrive very quickly and complications can happen just as fast,” she says in the video.
Why airlines and guidelines set cutoffs
Airlines generally stop allowing passengers after 36 weeks for a singleton pregnancy and earlier for multiples.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists aligns with this, noting that while low-risk pregnancies may fly up to 36 weeks, late-term complications are unpredictable. The rules exist for a reason: in late pregnancy, emergencies can happen suddenly.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists highlights preterm labor, hemorrhage, or shoulder dystocia as the core concerns in air travel.
Medical realities in the air
Pregnancy increases the risk of blood clots, and sitting for long periods on flights raises the chance of venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to research in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
If labor starts mid-flight, access to obstetric care is extremely limited, a scenario no parent wants to face. Even if everything goes smoothly, late-pregnancy travel can create challenges: many travel insurance policies restrict coverage late in gestation, and international trips can lead to passport, registration, and repatriation hurdles if the baby is born abroad.
Johns Hopkins Medicine recommends completing domestic flights before 36 weeks and planning international travel even earlier.
Related: As an OB-GYN, this is what I wish I had known before freezing my eggs
Tips on flying earlier in pregnancy
Even when traveling before the 36-week cutoff, pregnancy requires extra preparation. Hormonal changes, increased blood clot risk, and the unpredictability of even low-risk pregnancies mean that small adjustments can make a big difference in comfort and safety.
Planning ahead helps reduce stress and ensures both parent and baby remain safe throughout the journey.
- Get a fit-to-fly letter from your provider.
- Confirm airline rules for pregnant passengers.
- Choose an aisle seat for easier bathroom access and movement.
- Stay hydrated and walk every 1–2 hours.
- Wear compression socks to reduce clot risk.
These precautions help balance the joy of travel with pregnancy realities.
What parents need to know
Viral clips like this 38-week babymoon may look fun, but OB-GYNs caution that the final weeks of pregnancy are unpredictable. Planning travel early, being honest with airlines, and understanding medical and logistical realities ensures both parent and baby stay safe — and lets any babymoon be truly memorable for the right reasons.
Sources:
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2009. “Air Travel During Pregnancy.”
- The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. “Air travel and pregnancy.”
- EJOG. 2022. “Commercial Air And High-Altitude Travel by Pregnant Women: A scientific review commissioned by the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG).”
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Traveling While Pregnant or Breastfeeding.”