A pregnant Air Force pilot conducts preflight inspections at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Oct. 25, 2022. The service recently updated its policies regarding pregnant aircrew personnel. (Caleb Pavao/U.S. Air Force)
The Air Force is reinstating flight restrictions for airmen in the early stage of pregnancy and elevating waiver decisions for expectant aircrew members from flight surgeons to higher command, according to the service.
The changes apply to all pregnant airmen with in-flight duties and are based on recommendations from medical professionals across the service, a Tuesday statement from the Air Force surgeon general’s office said.
Under the new guidance, aircrew members may no longer fly during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy due to increased risk of miscarriage. A waiver is not available during the first trimester, Air Force officials said.
The change reverts to the Air Force’s 2019 policy and brings the branch in line with broader Defense Department standards.
The previous policy aimed to remove barriers suggesting to women that parenthood and an aviation career were incompatible, Air Force director of staff Lt. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost said at the time. The policy didn’t force pregnant women to work as aircrew, the service said in 2019.
Meanwhile, the authorized flying window following the first trimester has been extended under the new policy. Aircrew members may now be reinstated to fly from week 12 through week 32 of pregnancy with an approved waiver, four weeks longer than the previous policy allowed.
The Air Force cited medical research indicating no significant increase in risk between weeks 28 and 32.
Aircrew members who are expecting also are prohibited from flying in high-performance aircraft or planes with ejection seats at any point during pregnancy.
The service said that there is insufficient medical data on the effects of g-forces on pregnancy and that the restriction is a precaution.
The change requiring waiver requests for second and third trimester flight to be reviewed at the major command level gives senior medical personnel a broader view of cases and servicewide trends, Air Force medical officials said in the statement.
Aircrew members who are temporarily grounded due to pregnancy may still use flight simulators, take courses and fulfill other duties, the statement said.
