My baby is due in March and will most likely be born in Australia. How soon after his birth would it be safe to fly to America? | Expert Q/A

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Question:

My baby is due in March and will most likely be born in Australia. How soon after his birth would it be safe to fly to America?

Answer:

As evidenced by the many infants born on planes in flight, children can fly at almost any age. The biggest problem with flying at an early age is not the flight itself, but the fact that a person with an incompletely developed immune system is being exposed to a large number of other humans -- some of whom are invariably sick. For this reason, I generally recommend waiting until the infant is at least 8 weeks old and has had the first set of immunizations, but there have been no studies on this.

By David L. Fay, M.D.
Family Physician

Associate Director, Waukesha Family Practice Residency Program

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