Is it safe to ride a helicopter while pregnant

Never will a helicopter tour company reject a pregnant women on a helicopter ride, in fact; most operators will be accommodating to you.

It is completely safe to ride a helicopter while pregnant, but only if you're at a stage of comfort. Play it safe by asking your doctor, all while with answers to hand with concerns that may arise. Only participate in smooth helicopter ride well avoiding landing tour or doors off which can be a little too demanding.

Nothing can stop you flying as a newly or at a stage of heavy pregnancy; operators will be sure to do there best to accommodate you.

You will need to be physically able still, and while they will assist you if you are flying alone, it will be better if you bring something along to take care of you.

Things to know as a pregnant women taking a helicopter ride is this; you'll need to scoot over to your seat, fasten a seatbelt, and climb in and out of a helicopter.

So what that means for you is knowing the small details you haven't though off, so this will include...

You will be sat low so knee's will be high; you'll climb up a single step into the helicopter with a high reach; well you'll need to comfortably fasten and wear a seatbelt.

Pregnant women can fly in a helicopter with little in the way of health or baby concerns.

It is safe to ride in a helicopter

If you are at a stage of a healthy pregnancy, nothing should stop you taking a helicopter ride while pregnant.

In fact, pregnant women take a helicopter ride all the time with no medical issues arising at the time of the flight or later in the pregnancy.

Its like this, unlike flying in a light aircraft or a compressed airliner, helicopters fly at a low attitude, with uncompressed cabins.

So in that respect, there's no difficulty for pregnant women who take helicopter rides.

Safety for pregnant women is a priority for tour operators, and for all passengers as it happens - so will not allow it if they didn't think it was safe for pregnant women.

Saying that, that is not true if you were to take a thrilling helicopter ride; such as low flying in canyons, or a doors off helicopter ride in Kauai, Hawaii.

You will also want to avoid a helicopter landing tour in a harsh environment like the Grand Canyon, where it can be a problem for people who are not pregnant.

Check with your doctor

When it all comes down to it, you should or would want to contact your doctor or primary Physician if you know you're taking a helicopter ride.

Contact them over the phone as a physical checkup is not needed.

If asking the doctor, he or she may want to know details of the helicopter ride, so its vital you know the details beforehand.

What that means is, know how long the helicopter ride is; if you will be helping yourself in and out of the chopper; or if it would be a smooth or thrilling helicopter ride.

If the doctor is concerned about the attitude you will be flying; let them know most helicopter rides or tours fly between 500 to 2500 feet - or 3000 feet maximum.

What else the doctor might be concerned with is if the helicopter manoeuvres in a way that will put pressure on your tummy from the seat belt.

So know in advanced what expect on the helicopter ride; if its a smooth or thrilling ride, even if it will be hot or cold in the cabin.

Climb in/out of helicopter

Pregnant women who take a helicopter ride should be physically able to climb in and out of the helicopter by themselves.

Helicopter tour operators can be accommodating to passengers who are less able, so will help you out if pregnant.

If you are flying with your other-half, a friend or family member; then there should not be a problem with them assisting you in and out of the helicopter.

Know that generally speaking, the type of helicopter used will include a skid type landing gear, which can be 1 to 2 feet off the ground.

Its not one big step for everyone, as there is usually a middle bar passengers can step onto well climbing into the helicopter.

Not all helicopter tour operators offer a specific seat, so you may need to scoot over to the middle or far side seat - but again, the company will try to make things easy.

So no your limits, if you are too far along in your pregnancy with the thought of climbing precariously in or out of a helicopter, then it might not be a good time.

Discomfort for heavy pregnancy

Where the thought of a helicopter ride for pregnancy women might become an issue is at there third trimester - week 29 to week 40, or seven, eight and nine months.

That is where a doctor may ask you not to take the helicopter ride for the health of the baby.

Only you will know this far along in the pregnancy if you are fully capable of taking a helicopter ride that does require a little physically activity, namely...

Getting in and out of the helicopter, has that big tummy will sure not make it easy as it will be made difficult to bring your knee's up.

Helicopter seating is not known for luxury or comfort, so the low positioning of the seats will cause for your knees to be set high.

Which is not an easy feat for heavily pregnant women. So do think about the seating arrangement, as thinks will get uncomfortable, with tightness a possibility too.

Where else women don't think about while pregnant, is the seatbelt needs to wrap around your tummy. So how might that effect you?

Fasten seatbelt comfortably

Well for heavily pregnant women, its not easy feat to that get the seat belt safely fastened as your tummy will become an issue.

Luckily, helicopter tour operators will still be accommodating so will extend the seatbelt for you.

In which case you will need to phone ahead as to make sure they know a heavily pregnant women will be flying, so she will have issues with the seatbelt.

Do not accept anything less than a seatbelt that is wrapped around comfortably.

Too tight seatbelt will be uncomfortable for you in the duration of the flight, and more importantly, it won't be healthy for the baby.

So speak up and make sure you let the staff know if you're no comfortable with the seatbelt - or if not sitting comfortably overall, as that matters a lot too.

Don't be the one that fastens or undoes the seat belt yourself, as the stretching won't be comfortable, so allow a friend, hubby or family member to do it for you.

Summary

Depending on the theme of the helicopter ride you will be participating in, most helicopter tour companies will not reject pregnant women from flying.

Reason for that is, a helicopter ride flies at a low attitude with no compressed cabin or manoeuvring that could trouble you.

So with that in mind, no thrilling, buzz type helicopter rides for you; keep it to smooth, calm helicopter rides with doors on.

Be sure to check your doctor first, while having all answers to his or her questions to hand, such as: how high you will be flying; if its a calm or thrilling ride; and what about the seating arrangement.

All this should be asked by you to the helicopter tour company; as they fly pregnant women all the time, so have the answers for you.

They will need you to be physically capable of climbing in and out of the chopper, or have someone with you who can help.

Share this article: