Flying while pregnant - is the noise an issue?

[knute]

My wife is expecting in February, and as the pregnancy progresses, I've been combing whatever references I can find to determine what the risk factors are for the developing baby & mother...  In general, most experts seem to think that flying while pregnant isn't much of a problem  (see http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181801-1.html ), but although I understand issues like making sure to use oxygen above 8,000 ft or so to avoid potential for hypoxia, and stretching frequently (and hydrating) to avoid clots, the noise issue is not well addressed.

Does anyone have knowledge or references about how the cockpit noise of a typical Mooney would affect the developing baby?  Ears start functioning at 20 weeks or so, but since he's got his head underwater, I've got to think that attenuates the noise quite a bit.  I did hear of a situation in which someone played loud music during pregnancy with the intent of stimulating the baby, and it was born with some hearing loss.  (Yikes!)  

Thoughts?

-Knute

PS:  Yes, we did ask our doctor, and she was more or less ambivalent-  she suggested it was a bad idea to fly after 8 months, and left it at that.

[Ron McBride]

When I did some instrument work in my Mooney, the instructor was pregnant. I don't think that noise was a problem. But getting her out of the plane one day was. It took three tries for her to get up and out. I was planning on the fourth to give her a slight push. (Oh Darn) Emergency egress may be a huge problem.

Ron

[knute]

Thanks!  That's another useful data point...  I think by the time she has trouble getting in & out, she's done flying until the baby's old enough to wear hearing protection.  So far, ingress & egress isn't an issue (yet).

[Jeff_S]

I have no empirical evidence and have never studied it, but I have to think there can't be any real problem here. Airplanes aren't THAT noisy, after all. And women have been working in noisy factories while pregnant for a hundred years or more, dating back to the first spinning mill and the industrial revolution.

The womb is an incredibly hospitable place and designed to protect the developing infant from just about anything. I taught skiing with an incredibly skilled (and good looking...that lucky husband!) instructor who worked right up until the 9th month. And she even raced, and took a pretty dramatic spill as I recall in about the 8th month. No worries.

[DaV8or]

Did you ask this question over on the AOPA board in the Medical Matters Forum? There's some really knowledgeble doctors over there.

[knute]

Good suggestion... Done!  Assuming I get some decent responses over there, I'll summarize them here for anybody who shares an interest in the issue.

-Knute

PS:  I hope your back is feeling better!

[DaV8or]

Quote: knute

PS:  I hope your back is feeling better!