An Air Force pilot has made history by becoming one of the first Air Force service members to fly a supersonic aircraft while pregnant.

Maj Lauren Olme, assistant director of operations for the 77th Weapons Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas, flew a B-1 Lancer, a supersonic bomber. Olme's child has also become "one of the first babies in the Department of Defense to clock 9.2 hours in a supersonic aircraft," according to an Air Force press release.

"I can't overexpress how amazing it is that pregnant women now have the opportunity to fly in all types of aircraft," Lauren Olme said in a statement. "It's a very personal decision that [my husband] Mark and I made together because there are risks involved in flying the B-1 while pregnant but after conferring with Air Force and civilian medical doctors, we felt comfortable with me flying for a few weeks."

The Air Force clarified its policy last year and removed some restrictions for pregnant Air Force members. Air Force members can now "voluntarily request to fly during pregnancy" and do not need a waiver "to fly in the second trimester with an uncomplicated pregnancy in a non-ejection seat aircraft if all flight safety criteria are met."

"All pregnant aircrew are authorized to apply for a waiver regardless of trimester, aircraft or flight profile," the Air Force stated in an April 2022 news release.

"These changes are a significant step in the right direction to empowering every member of our team to serve to their full potential," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a statement at the time. "The Department of the Air Force’s most important asset is our people. We are focused on eliminating barriers that hamper the ability to attract and retain the most talented individuals who want to serve."