What Rides Can I Go On While Pregnant?

I am 10 weeks pregnant and dreaming of all the things I’m going to do once my morning sickness subsides! I have a strange question for you involving Disney World. We are Floridians and love visiting the parks, but I have questions about what rides I can actually ride being pregnant. It seems as if almost every ride has a big sign that says “DO NOT RIDE IF PREGNANT.” It got me thinking … Why are pregnant women not allowed to ride — what is the risk? And is it for all trimesters? The blanket statement is certainly to cover liability, but I wonder what I really can and cannot ride. I figured if anyone would know, you would be the one. Thanks!

—A Pregnant Disney Fan

Congratulations! I hope you are feeling a bit better.

The primary concern here is placental abruption. A placental abruption is an extremely serious complication of pregnancy in which the placenta separates, partly or fully, from the uterine wall. It can cause hemorrhage, death of the fetus, or death of the mother. It is dangerous. It’s also very rare.

Most placental abruption is a result of medical issues, but it can also occur due to trauma. This is the reason it is recommended not to ski during pregnancy, for example. The risk of falling or of being hit hard is too high. Again, the risk is small, but the consequences are severe.

Placental abruption is also a risk during serious car accidents. This is thought to occur not necessarily due to trauma, but possibly because the sharp deceleration can move the uterus without moving the placenta, which can cause them to separate. This is seen in actual car accidents and in movement models.

The restriction on fast roller coasters in particular is because of the concern that the same dynamics could happen. Roller coasters have sharp deceleration and acceleration, which in principle could run the same risks. Of course, the extent of deceleration and acceleration in even pretty aggressive rides is much less than in a car accident at 70 miles an hour. The issue is that without knowing more about where the line is, we do not want to get close to it.

So: rides like Space Mountain or Splash Mountain are off the table. Something like the Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean, though, are calm to the point where this is not a significant concern. Or, in a pinch, you can always stick with the Hall of Presidents…