November 26, 2023 at 9:52 am

Should Women Who Use Birth Control Be Stretching On Long Flights? This Healthcare Provider Thinks So.

by Matthew Gilligan

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

I’m willing to bet that a lot of people have never been exposed to this information before…

And it sounds like it’s pretty important stuff!

A physician associate named Simi posted a TikTok video that stitched to another woman’s video showing her stretching and doing calf raises on an airplane.

The woman’s text overlay reads, “My doctor fiancé making me do this every two hours on the plane because I’m on the pill.”

After the short clip, Simi chimed in with her own thoughts and said that the woman in the original video was doing this to prevent deep vein thrombosis, which are blood clots that can be life-threatening.

Physician associate Simi (@simisolaoa) responded with her own video explaining why Thompson’s fiancée had encouraged her to exercise on the plane: to prevent potentially life-threatening blood clots, known as deep vein thrombosis. These clots can cut off blood to the lower legs and blood clots can also break free and potentially cause a pulmonary embolism.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

Simi said that women who use certain kinds of birth control are at a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and that long flights present a risk factor because people sit for long periods of time.

She said that blood circulation slows, blood clots may form, and that women on birth control are at a higher risk for danger.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

Simi said, “As you can see, this lady is on a long flight and she’s on the pill. So that’s two risk factors for developing DVT.”

Simi told women to “keep moving when you can” and she said that stretches and compression socks will help.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

Let’s see what she had to say.

@simisolaoa

#Stitch @Charlotte Thompson Why its important to move when you’re flying and on the pill! #physicianassociate #physicianassistant #gynae #gynecology #contraception

♬ Lil Boo Thang – Paul Russell

Check out how folks reacted on Reddit.

One person had a bad experience with birth control.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

Another individual thinks this needs to be talked about more often.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

And one TikTokker said this happened to them and they need to be on blood thinners because of it.

Source: TikTok/@simisolaoa

Remember to get up and stretch if you’re on birth control and you’re on a plane.

It might save you some discomfort!