Pregnancy and Travel Nursing: Can You Really Do Both?
Being a travel nurse is a unique adventure—and so is pregnancy. Doing both at the same time? It can feel overwhelming, but with the right mindset, planning, and support, it’s absolutely possible.
This is Part 1 of my 3-part blog series where I share my personal journey of navigating pregnancy as a travel nurse. In this post, I’ll cover how I found out I was pregnant while on assignment, how I managed prenatal care across state lines, and how I handled health insurance during maternity leave.
Getting Pregnant After Infertility
Let’s start with the backstory. While I won’t go into the specifics of how we conceived, I do want to acknowledge a topic close to my heart: infertility. According to the CDC, it affects 1 in 5 women.
For over five years, I struggled with infertility due to PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). My husband and I decided to shift our focus to other life goals and our upcoming wedding. We had faith that the timing would work out—and it did.
Finding Out I Was Pregnant—While On Assignment
Just a month after our wedding, I returned to work on a new travel nurse assignment. A coworker jokingly suggested I might be pregnant—and to my complete surprise, a pregnancy test confirmed it!
I was overjoyed… and a little anxious. How would I balance pregnancy with a job that requires constant relocation? Thankfully, by then I was a seasoned travel nurse and knew how to make the lifestyle work for me.
Managing Prenatal Care as a Travel Nurse
One of my biggest concerns was prenatal care. How would I get consistent checkups when I was moving every 8–13 weeks?
I researched how other travel nurses handled it. Some returned home for appointments with their regular OB-GYN, while others found temporary providers near each assignment. I chose the latter.
Here’s what helped:
- Being transparent with each new provider about my travel nurse status.
- Scheduling early, so I could get appointments before moving.
- Keeping thorough medical records, so each provider had access to my pregnancy history.
To my relief, every provider treated me like any other patient. They were understanding, flexible, and professional.
How I Handled Health Insurance During Maternity Leave
Another major hurdle? Health insurance. Travel nurse benefits can vary by agency, and maternity leave adds extra complexity.
Here’s how I stayed covered:
- I kept my employee-provided insurance as long as I was actively working.
- I transitioned to COBRA coverage during my maternity leave to stay insured through labor and delivery.
Some travel nurses qualify for Medicaid during maternity leave, while others purchase private insurance. For me, COBRA was the most reliable option.
Lessons Learned: Planning Ahead Makes All the Difference
Looking back on the first trimester of my pregnancy as a travel nurse, one theme stands out: proactive planning. By being organized, honest, and flexible, I was able to protect both my health and my career.
If you’re a travel nurse thinking about starting or growing your family, know this: you can absolutely do it. The key is having a plan, finding supportive healthcare providers, and giving yourself grace along the way.
💬 Have you navigated pregnancy while travel nursing or managed healthcare on the road?
I’d love to hear your experience—drop a comment below and share your story!
👉 Up next: Part 2—my labor and delivery story as a travel nurse. You don’t want to miss it!