FameCrawler

Actually there really aren't medical reasons, other than proximity to your doctor/midwife. American airlines will let you on the plane unless you're showing visible signs of labor. Why do we work so hard to scare pregnant women?

Yeah, they just don't want you on an airplane in your last month, because in theory, you could go into labor at any time, and no flight attendant wants to delivery your baby.

Way to come off sounding like a total ass, Whit.  The previous two commenters are correct.  My midwife, and another whom I consulted for a second opinion, both told me that the only danger I faced in flying during my eighth month of pregnancy was that I might go into labor on the plane.

I'm not saying that's not a serious concern and something to be weighed in making the decision, but it was MY decision, NOT the airline's.

How nice of you to assume that the lady was concerned about whether her ass was too big or not.  Couldn't possibly have been that she had researched what she should or shouldn't do while pregnant and made her own, educated decision based on that, right?

Just to make things clear, if the travel is within the continental US, most US airlines will let you fly up until 7 days of your due date, although they may require a doctor's letter after 36 weeks.  That's because if you're making a quick hop from Boston to Philly and you experience your first labor contraction as the plane is pulling back from the gate, the chance of needing a doctor before you reach your destination is still pretty small - and if you do there are plenty of places the plane can set down.  It's when you're trying to book yourself on an international flight, which are longer and over water, that they get testy past 36 weeks.  IOW, there is no blanket rule that women at that stage of pregnancy can't fly; they just can't fly to *Venice*.

My daughter was born at 36 1/2 weeks and 1 hour after my water broke.  I had no signs of labor up until that point.  That would have been lots of fun on a plane.  Why risk it..