Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
28 August 2014 10:17
Pregnant women usually have to provide a letter of consent or a letter from a doctor or midwife if flying within a month of their due date
A passenger jet was forced to make an unscheduled landing when a pregnant woman went into labour shortly after take-off.
The Boeing 767-300, flying from Amsterdam to Atlanta, had to touch down in Ireland less than an hour into the journey on Sunday.
Crew on board the Delta Airlines transatlantic flight declared a medical emergency as the plane soared above Blackpool.
Pregnant women usually need to provide a letter of consent or a letter from a doctor or midwife if flying within a month of their due date.
Adequate pregnancy travel insurance can protect mothers-to-be both in the sky and at their destination. So, if they have the baby while they're away, they'll both be covered to travel home at any time.
Such policies also cover the costs of medical expenses and cancellation just in case complications like pre-eclampsia or emergency Caesarean arise. But pregnant women must always check with their carrier that they'll be allowed on board in the first place.
In this case, the woman gave birth at University Maternity Hospital Limerick after the plane, carrying 230 passengers and crew, was diverted to Shannon Airport in County Clare, where paramedics were waiting.
There were fears she would give birth on the plane because her contractions were getting closer and closer.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no significant risk associated directly with air travel during pregnancy, even at advanced gestation, while there is no evidence that flying causes early labour or a woman's water to break.
18 January 2019
A plant-based diet is needed to protect future generations and safeguard the wellbeing of the planet, according to experts.
[more...]
17 January 2019
Campaigners are protesting outside the High Court in London as the legal challenge against Heathrow Airport's controversial expansion ramps up.
16 January 2019
A new way to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer has been unveiled by scientists - and it's the most comprehensive method yet.
15 January 2019
NHS commissioners could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for every patient left waiting more than a year for vital care, new proposals suggest.
12 January 2019
All UK airports should buy anti-drone technology and not rely on the Royal Air Force to help out, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
10 January 2019
The military was brought in on Tuesday night after police officers saw a drone operating at Heathrow Airport, forcing departures to be suspended for an hour.
11 January 2019
A so-called "drug sponge" that mops up leftover drugs from cancer treatment could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, new research has claimed.
09 January 2019
A hormone released during exercise could help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
08 January 2019
Ryanair has been labelled the worst airline operating in the UK for the sixth year running in a leading consumer group survey.
05 January 2019
Anti-drone technology will be deployed at the UK's two busiest airports in response to the disruption caused before Christmas.
04 January 2019
A new cancer-detecting breathalyser test is being trialled in the UK - in a move that could revolutionise the way the disease is diagnosed.
03 January 2019
The average 10-year-old child will have already eaten more sugar in their life than the maximum amount recommended for 18-year-olds, a new study reveals.