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I'm Pregnant
Germs, Travel & Safety During PregnancyOverview of Pregnancy

Introduction

There are lots of ways to stay safe and protect your baby while you are pregnant. Learn how to stop spreading germs, lower your risk of infectious disease, and maintain a safe home and work environment.

Travelling while pregnant takes some planning. Find out what you need to think about to protect yourself before, during and after your trip.

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases such as chickenpox, shingles, rubella (German measles), fifth disease (parvovirus or slapped cheek disease), cytomegalovirus (CMV) or tuberculosis, can put both you and your baby at risk. They can be spread from one person to another directly or indirectly from the environment. If you are in contact with young children at home or at work, you’re more likely to be exposed to childhood illnesses and other infectious diseases.

You can lower your risk of infectious disease by:

  • keeping your immunizations up-to-date
  • washing your hands carefully and often
  • making sure your food is fully cooked and refrigerated
  • taking precautions before you travel to help prevent illness or disease
  • asking friends and family not to visit if they are not feeling well
  • seeing your health care provider if you think you’ve been in contact with someone who has an infectious disease
  • practicing safer sex

COVID-19

For information about COVID-19, see:

 

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

CMV is a common virus that infects most people and does not cause symptoms. If you’re pregnant and get CMV, CMV can be passed to your developing baby. This is called congenital CMV. 1 in 5 babies born with congenital CMV can have a permanent disability like hearing loss.

You can reduce your risk of getting CMV by avoiding contact with saliva and urine from babies and young children. For example, avoid sharing food and utensils like cups, toothbrushes or kissing on the mouth.

To learn more about CMV visit CMV Canada.

Washing your hands

Washing your hands often is the best way to stop spreading germs and to stay healthy. Most germs that make people sick can be passed on to others by people touching each other or by touching things that a sick person has touched like handles and doorknobs.

Everyone should follow these steps when washing their hands:

  1. Use warm running water and plain soap—you do not need to use anti-bacterial soap.
  2. Rub the insides and backs of both hands and between fingers until there are a lot of soap bubbles. Continue for about 20 seconds or long enough to sing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song twice.
  3. Rinse hands under warm running water.
  4. Dry hands with a clean towel.

Immunization

During pregnancy, some vaccines are routinely recommended. For example, the influenza vaccine is recommended when you’re pregnant. The diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (Tdap) is also recommended in every pregnancy, even if you have had the vaccine before.

By getting the Tdap vaccine during pregnancy, you provide early protection to your baby during the first few months of life, especially against whooping cough. The Tdap vaccine is usually given between 27 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, because this is the best time to transfer immunity to your baby. If you are outside of this time frame, talk to your health care provider about when you should get this vaccine.

Other immunizations may be recommended depending on your health and the level of risk to you and your baby. You can be immunized at your community or public health centre. The Tdap vaccine may also be available from your pharmacist. To find a community or public health centre near you, call Health Link at 811 or visit Alberta Health Services – Book an immunization appointment.  To learn more about Tdap, visit Alberta Health Services – Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.

Live vaccines such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and varicella (chicken pox) are not routinely given during pregnancy. It’s recommended that you receive these vaccines after you have your baby. If other vaccines are needed, your health care provider will discuss the risks and benefits to you and your baby.

Some vaccines protect for life, while others need to be repeated (boosted) after a certain time. If you or your family haven’t had all of your immunizations, or haven’t had your immunizations on schedule, talk with your health care provider about catching up.

To learn more about immunizations during pregnancy, visit Alberta Health Services – Immunization and pregnancy.

Immunizations protect against diseases

Being immunized is much safer than getting the disease it prevents.

COVID-19 IMMUNIZATION IN PREGNANCY

To learn about COVID-19 immunization in pregnancy, visit Alberta Health Services – Immunization and pregnancy. 

If you’re a partner

Keep your immunizations up-to-date. Vaccine-preventable diseases still exist. Some of these diseases are happening more often because some people are choosing not to get themselves and their children immunized.

Rubeola (red measles), mumps and pertussis (whooping cough) are a few examples of vaccine-preventable diseases making a comeback. Many of these diseases have no treatment or cure and could lead to a life-long disability and even death.

To find out how to book an immunization appointment, talk with your health care provider, call Health Link at 811, or visit Alberta Health Services – Book an immunization appointment.

 

Influenza immunization

Immunization with the influenza vaccine will protect you and your baby while you’re pregnant. You can get immunized any time during your pregnancy. The protection you get from the vaccine may transfer across the placenta and stay with your baby for a short time after birth. If your partner and other family members get immunized, this also helps to protect your baby after birth.

Being immunized against influenza (flu) is recommended for all expectant parents and their families because they are at higher risk of developing complications from influenza. If you become infected with influenza while pregnant, you have a higher risk of hospitalization, premature birth, and many other complications. Immunization protects both expectant parents and their babies against influenza.

To learn more about influenza immunizations, visit Alberta Health Services – Influenza (flu) vaccine.

Travel & driving

Travelling out of the country

Travelling while pregnant takes some planning. Help lower your stress and make your trip more enjoyable by planning ahead.

If you’re planning on travelling out of the country, know the risks that can affect you and your baby. Other countries may have different standards of safety, sanitation and healthcare than what we have in Canada. There may not be safe food or clean water. Look for travel advisories related to personal safety or mosquito-borne infections like malaria, Zika virus or yellow fever. You may need to delay your travel or take steps to protect yourself.

To learn more about staying healthy travelling while pregnant, visit Government of Canada – Travelling While Pregnant.

Here are some things to think about to protect yourself before, during and after your trip:

  • Make sure your insurance provider knows you’re pregnant. Many insurance plans do not cover expectant parents who travel, or their baby, if they give birth while away.
  • Check the medical care and facilities that are available where you’re going.
  • Make an appointment with your health care provider far in advance of your trip so that:
    • if you take prescription medicine, you can make sure you have the supply that you need
    • you have the medicine you need to prevent malaria, gastrointestinal and other illnesses
    • you receive any immunizations needed against hepatitis, typhoid and other illnesses
  • Take any other actions or precautions you need to help prevent illness or disease, like protection from mosquito bites.

When travelling on longer trips or by air:

  • Drink lots of fluids.
  • Try not to sit for too long—take breaks and do leg exercises every hour to prevent blood clots in your legs.
  • Check with the airline for their rules about flying during pregnancy.
Pregnant person and partner in airport

Take a pass on pre-tanning

Indoor tanning is not recommended for anyone, before travel or any other time, as it can cause skin cancer and other effects. Protect your skin with sunscreen when you are outdoors—both at home and when you travel.

Safe driving

The best way to protect you and your unborn baby is to wear a seat belt throughout your pregnancy. If worn properly, a seat belt will not harm your baby.

  • Wear the lap belt low and snug, under your baby and your abdomen. It should lie over the upper thighs or across the hips and pelvis, never over the abdomen.
  • The shoulder belt should cross the centre of the chest and shoulder and fit snug. Never tuck the shoulder belt under your arm.
  • In cold weather, do not fasten the seat belt over several layers of clothing, as this may cause the lap belt to ride up. Instead, warm up the vehicle first, unbutton your outer clothing and pull the lap belt snug over as few layers of clothing as possible.
  • Slide the seat back as far as possible from the steering wheel, dashboard and airbag.

If you’re in a motor vehicle collision and an ambulance is called, you’ll be transported to the hospital for assessment, either to the emergency department or to the labour and birth unit. If an ambulance is not called, call your health care provider for advice.

Pregnant person wearing a seat belt in the passenger seat of a car. Seat belt shoulder strap crosses centre of their chest and lap belt is snug under their abdomen.

Driving

If possible, try not to be the driver during the third trimester.

Not just cars

If you drive a motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, lawnmower, farm or construction equipment, talk to your health care provider about using these while pregnant.

Saunas & hot baths

A hot tub, sauna or hot bath can cause you and your baby to get too hot, which could affect your baby’s development. The hot tub, sauna or bath should not be so hot that you’re uncomfortable. You can prevent you and your baby from getting too hot by:

  • lowering the temperature to 38.9 °C (102 °F) or below
  • limiting how long you sit in the bath, hot tub or sauna. Stay in a sauna for no more than 15 minutes and in a hot tub for no more than 10 minutes.
  • keeping the water level below your shoulders in the hot tub
  • making sure someone is with you in case you feel dizzy or faint

Pets & animals

Some pets and animals can carry infectious diseases like Toxoplasma. You can reduce your risk of getting sick by:

  • washing your hands well after touching or handling any pet or animal, especially before you eat
  • not feeding raw meat to your pet
  • wearing gloves when you garden so that you do not touch pet or animal stool—and washing your hands well after gardening
  • having someone else empty and clean the cat litter box regularly, making sure that they use boiling water to wash out the box and that they wash their hands well afterwards, to help decrease the spread of germs
Pregnant person petting their horse’s nose.

If you’re a partner

Help protect against toxoplasmosis by emptying and regularly cleaning the litter box. It’s best if your pregnant partner does not take on this task while pregnant.

Working while pregnant

Working during a healthy pregnancy

Working during a healthy pregnancy is usually safe. However, some jobs may have some risks and unhealthy demands. If you work long hours, take time to stretch if you’ve been sitting and time to rest if you’ve been standing. Try to take a short break every 2 hours while you work. Ask your supervisor if you can take extra breaks.

If you have a physically demanding job, take special care to protect yourself and your baby. Here are some things to think about if your job is physically demanding:

  • heavy lifting—if possible, do not lift more than 23 kg (50 lbs)
  • repetitive lifting—if possible do not do a lot of lifting of anything more than 11 kg (24 lbs) once you’re 24 weeks pregnant and beyond
  • try not to crouch or bend

If you do a lot of lifting, bending or climbing at work, talk with your health care provider about safe limits. Learn more about safe lifting.

Work camps

If you work in a remote area like a work camp, talk to your employer about services and other supports that might be available to you.

Shift work

Some studies suggest that pregnant individuals who work rotating shifts and long hours may be at a higher risk for preterm labour, having a low birth weight baby, or miscarriage. The risk goes up if shift work and long hours are combined with other things like standing too long or working in a very noisy place.

If you need to do shift work, ask your supervisor if your shifts can be rotated forward—moving from morning shifts to afternoons to nights. This is less tiring than rotating backward—moving from nights to afternoons to mornings. You can also ask if it’s possible to work only day shifts while you’re pregnant.

High noise levels

Noise levels over 90 decibels, like lawnmowers and some machinery, may be linked to babies born with low birth weights—especially when combined with other things like standing too long. If your workplace is noisy, talk with your health care provider, supervisor, or your human resources representative.

Pregnancy discrimination at work

Pregnancy discrimination is when you’re treated differently because you’re pregnant. The law protects you from this. You can’t be fired, demoted, put on forced leave or excluded from any work opportunities like contracts, trips or conferences because you’re pregnant. You also have the right to return to your former position, or one that’s equal to it, after maternity or parental leave. If you have concerns about your workplace, there are many ways to get help:

  • Talk with your supervisor and human resources representative about your concern.
  • Offer some possible solutions and ask for other ideas.
  • Be flexible and work with your employer to find a solution.
  • If needed, get a note from your health care provider to make changes to your work environment or duties.

If you have concerns about pregnancy discrimination and haven’t been able to solve them by speaking to your supervisor and human resources representative, contact the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission office confidential inquiry lines:

  • Edmonton 780-427-7661
  • Calgary 403-297-6571
  • Outside of Edmonton and Calgary call the Alberta toll-free number at 310-0000, then call the number for the Edmonton or Calgary office
  • TTY services if you’re deaf or hard of hearing, call them toll-free within Alberta at 1-800-232-7215

Other people who may be able to help you are:

Chemicals and hazardous substances

Chemicals and substances

Some chemicals and substances such as pesticides or paint can increase your risk of miscarriage or having a baby with a birth defect.

If you use or work around chemicals or hazardous substances:

  • Find out about the chemicals or substances you may be exposed to.
  • Wear the recommended protective clothing, like gloves and masks.
  • Work in a well-ventilated area.
  • Follow the recommended guidelines in your workplace.
  • Stay away from any chemicals that you do not need to be exposed to.
  • Ask your supervisor if you can do alternative work while you’re pregnant. that doesn’t expose you to dangerous chemicals.
  • Check the WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) data sheets at your workplace and talk with your Occupational Health and Safety representative.

Read the labels on your household cleaners and follow the instructions for using, storing and disposing of them. If the label says to use the cleaner in a well-ventilated area, make sure to open the window while you use the cleaner.

Do not use pesticides, lead-based paints, or paint removers while you’re pregnant. Chemicals that can harm your baby get into the air when lead-based paints, varnishes and paint removers are drying. It’s okay to use latex paint if you clean up afterwards with water—not with paint remover. Also avoid contact with weed and insect sprays, as they have been known to cause miscarriage and birth defects.

Avoid being exposed to radiation while pregnant. Alberta’s safety regulations are very high and protect pregnant individuals who work in areas where radiation is used. Follow all workplace radiation guidelines. Do not touch anyone who’s being treated with radioactive isotopes. Do not hold people or animals when they’re having an x-ray.

If you’re not sure a product is safe or to learn more about poison and drug information, call the Poison and Drug Information Service (PADIS) toll-free at 1-800-332-1414.

On the farm and in the garden

Read the label on any fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, chemicals or other products you may be using.

Lead

Lead is a chemical found naturally in the environment. For pregnant individuals and young children, lead should be avoided because it can cause serious health problems.

Here are some simple things you can do to prevent being exposed to lead:

  • Run the tap before using water that hasn’t been run for a few hours—especially if you live in an older home.
  • Use cold tap water for drinking and cooking—it has less lead than hot tap water.
  • Older homes may have lead-based paint, so make sure to follow the proper procedures when doing renovations.
  • Dust, vacuum and wet-mop your house regularly to help keep down the levels of dust that may contain lead.
  • If family members work or do hobbies with lead, such as stained glass, make sure they shower and change their clothes when they’re done. This will help reduce the amount of lead on their body.
  • Do not store food or liquids in food containers like crystal glass or glazed and ceramic dishes as they may have lead in them.

To learn more about reducing your exposure to lead, visit Government of Canada – Reduce Your Exposure to Lead.

Lead

Be careful when buying jewellery and toys made in countries outside of Canada or the United States—they may have lead in them. Check all manufacturers’ labels for lead. If you’re not sure about the lead content, do not buy or use it.