Can anyone tell me if it's okay for a pregnant woman to go through the metal detectors at the airport? (you know, the ones where you have to walk through after you check your bags in?) Thanks, super moms!
It's safe, I had metal detectors in my office building and had to walk through everyday when I was pregnant.
Hi!
The metal detectors that you walk through are perfectly safe at the airport! I actually asked my doctor this last year when I was five months pregnant and I was going on vacation! Have a nice trip!
Hi , I think you will be OK unless your unborn child is wearing metal jewelry in which case the alarm will go off. Have a great trip.
absolutely fine. I was a frequent flyer (rougly 20 ttimes) during my first pregnancy and asked my doctor about the metal detector and inflight exposure. She was not concerned with any of those. My baby is perfectly healthy.
Yes it is safe. But just wear loose clothes, I had to strip during my second pregnancy, they wanted to make sure I was really pregnant.
Flying has radiation as a risk already so why expose yourself to any more than absolutely necessary? I never go through the metal detectors. Nor do I let my kids go through them. The airport officials do not mind doing a pat down and they are very used to it. So if I were you I would not take the attitude of which I have read others to have posted. But that's just me!
Yes, you'll be fine. Those dectectors do not omit any kind of radiation.
They have the new machines at two US airports that I would avoid. I read about them online and they seem like a full body x-ray machine type. I know LAX just got one and they are randomly having people use it. I am sure if you are pregnant and they know it you could opt out of that though. I don't remember the other airport. I just traveled by air and was checking out this issue too.
Hi! I did this a number of times throughout my pregnancy and it was fine - no problem. : )
I have to agree with Naomi...I would NOT walk thru there. Even if everyone says its fine. ITs again personal choice, however, why would you if you could get a pat down? My kids don't go thur either. It is low dose but like the others said and agreed on your getting enough raditation with the flight itself alone.
it is perfectly safe. i work at the airport and when i was pregnant went thru them all the time
Yes, it's fine. You actually will get a much HIGHER radiation dose during your actual airplane flight than you will going through the detectors. And according to ACOG, if you're just a casual flyer the dose associated with flying is trivial. The folks who need to worry about it are airline pilots and flight attendents, who fly a lot more often.
Hi Yvonne,
I'm not an expert but as far as I know nothing happens. There are millions of pregnant women who travel. I traveled a lot during my pregnancy and me and my 3y old are healthy. I don't thing a pregnant woman shouldn't have a regular life, including traveling.. Enjoy as much as you can, with the baby you're going to spend a lot of time at home.
Yvonne,
I worked at O'hare for the first 3 months of my pregnancy with my son(now 5-July). I had to walk throught the metal detectors at least twice a day. I was told by my obstetrician that it was completely fine. My son is a healthy little boy. Hope this helps!!
Hello,
I traveled at 6 months. I asked them and they assured me that it was fine. At one of the airports I even had to go in a booth and the booth "smelled" me and then puffed a bit of air around. It was a new thing. I was nervous about being pregnant, but they assured me it was o.k.
I do need to acknowlege that they MAY say this and there be a slight issue with multiple uses of anything. If you continue to be concerned I would suggest calling the airport snd talking to security. I am having pregnant brain right now and can't htink of the name of the authority over checking us.
Take Care,
M.
The detectors are safe for pregnant women, if you don't feel comfortable just asked for them to use the wand and explain why-wear lose clothes because you will most likely get a pat down also.
And as far as radiation goes on the plane....you would have to take a couple flights a day for weeks/months for it to effect you/baby.
I was 4 weeks pregnant when I flew and my OB/GYN wasn't concerned and my baby turned out just fine! I've never heard anything bad about them, but you could always ask your OB/GYN to be on the safe side!
Yes, they are fine to go through. There is no exposure to radiation in those.
Yes, it is safe to walk through the metal dectectors. the only thing unsafe would be to ride the converyor belt through the x-ray machine with your bag. Also, after having a metal detector wand used on me once I googled the safety of that and it is also safe, but you are allowed to request a pat down instead of the wand if they need to do the extra screening.
