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Traveling to Developing Countries While Pregnant

Find out which places you should steer clear of during pregnancy and why.
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Updated April 24, 2017
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Generally speaking, it’s probably not a good idea to visit developing countries during pregnancy. While your doctor may make exceptions depending on how far along you are or what country you’re visiting, many experts advise against it.

How come? Many of these destinations require you to get vaccinations that aren’t safe for pregnant women. Also, visiting some developing countries can put you at risk for conditions and contagious diseases or infections that can’t be prevented with vaccines, like traveler’s diarrhea and food poisoning. But if you absolutely must make that trip, talk to your doctor ahead of time about ways you can stay safe, like adhering to food and water restrictions and taking precautions to avoid contracting malaria.

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