Check airline rules for pregnant passengers before booking your ticket. In Canada, airlines will allow you to fly up to the 35th week of pregnancy, provided that you are healthy and have no history of premature labour. The rules in other countries might be different. You could be asked to supply a letter from your doctor verifying the stage of your pregnancy. For example, an uncomplicated single pregnancy may be accepted in weeks 36 to 38, if the flying time doesn't exceed four hours.

These factors also apply to the journey home. If you travelled out during the seventh month of pregnancy, there's a risk that you may not be allowed to board the return flight if you're in the eighth or ninth month of your pregnancy at the time of your return journey.

Make sure that your travel insurance policy provides coverage for all eventualities. Most policies do not automatically cover pregnancy-related conditions or nursery care for premature infants.

The low humidity in airline cabins can cause dehydration, so you may want to increase your water intake.

Don't forget that airline seats are narrow and may be uncomfortable for pregnant women. Furthermore, your susceptibility to motion sickness may be greater during pregnancy.

Pregnant women have an increased risk of blood clots. Request an aisle seat and try to stand up, walk or stretch your legs regularly. Move around as much as possible - at least 15 minutes every hour. This can also be supplemented with vein pumping exercises. The same advice also applies to long car and bus journeys.

Car trips can be exhausting: it's wise to build in extra rest stops while travelling, every two hours. Your body is busy nurturing a baby, and the added effort of travelling makes it work even harder. Long voyages are not advised (no more than 200 or 300 km a day, or more than 3 hours) and you should avoid bumps (e.g., a poorly maintained vehicle or ATV).

Fasten your seatbelt quite low around your pelvis, placing a thin pillow behind your back if necessary to prevent back pain. Stop driving if you feel cramped. Finally, keep in mind that your reflexes and alertness are different during pregnancy. Avoid travelling in summer heat, or when it's snowing, to prevent being stuck on the road.

If possible, avoid travelling in malarial zones. Even while taking anti-malarial drugs, pregnant women appear to be more attractive to mosquitoes, have decreased general immunity and are prone to more severe disease, affecting both the pregnant women and the fetus.

Especially during the first trimester of pregnancy, avoid high-altitude destinations, where oxygen to the fetus could be decreased.

Pregnant women are recommended to travel only in countries with an adequate standard of hygiene and not to go trekking or undertake primitive rucksack journeys in less safe destinations.

If you haven't been vaccinated, some vaccines are contra-indicated during pregnancy. You may consequently have to rethink your destination. Inactive vaccines, such as tetanus and diphtheria, may be received without risk, but live vaccines must be avoided (oral polio, measles, rubella, mumps, chicken pox...)

The inefficiency of the obstetric care system in certain countries alone should prevent preganant women from travelling to exotic countries. Choose countries with adequate health infrastructures and check the conditions of your policy before leaving.

Wherever you go, respect basic food rules (such as eating only cooked foods). If there is any doubt, drink only bottled water. Diarrhea can cause severe dehydration that can harm you and the baby! A number of the drugs that can normally be taken to prevent and treat diarrhoea are not recommended for pregnant women. Check with your physician or pharmacist before you go.

Pregnant women should avoid using iodine to purify water. Iodine could have an adverse effect on the fetal thyroid.

In developing countries, pasteurized milk is often difficult to find. You can take powdered milk with you to ensure that you get enough calcium. It can be added to most foods.

To cope with morning sickness, ginger is an excellent remedy. Crystallized forms can be found in most supermarkets and health-food stores. Otherwise, raw ginger root is available almost anywhere in the world and can be grated into your food in small amounts.