Air travel during pregnancy and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes as gestational age and weight at birth: A retrospective study among 284,069 women in Israel between the years 2000 to 2016

OBJECTIVE: The American College of Gynecology (ACOG) recommendation does not limit air travel during pregnancy, yet the evidence for air travel effect on adverse pregnancy outcomes is limited and debatable. Study objectives were to examine the association between air travel during pregnancy and preterm birth together with decreased birth weight. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. METHODS: The study evaluated 628,292 women who gave birth to singleton infants from 9/2000 to 9/2016 and classified them into “air travel during pregnancy” or not, based on flight insurance as proxy. Multiple linear regression models were utilized to examine the relationship between air travel during pregnancy and newborn's gestational age and birth weight, while accounting for socioeconomic status, diabetes, high-risk pregnancies, and smoking. RESULTS: A total of 41,677 (6.6%) births of women who air traveled during pregnancy was included, and 586,615 (93.4%) births of women who did not. Air travel during pregnancy was associated with a statistically significant (p<0.0001) but negligible increase in birth weight (9 gr. 95% CI: 4.8 to 14.5 gr.) and gestational age (0.36 days. 95% CI: 0.24–0.48). CONCLUSION: The study results provide no evidence that air travel during pregnancy is related to adverse effects on gestational age or birth weight. These findings corroborate the current recommendations of ACOG.