Airport body scanner and pregnancy

[mauraa629]

well, i'm going on a trip tomorrow and just thought of the body scanner at the airport. Waiting for a call back from my midwife but wanted to know if any of you know anything about this? Is it just like an x-ray, like should be avoided during pregnancy? I don't know what to expect from airport security, like if they will give me a hard time for not wanting to walk through the machine, or if they will understand and check me the old way.

[Blanca78]

Originally Posted by mauraa629

well, i'm going on a trip tomorrow and just thought of the body scanner at the airport. Waiting for a call back from my midwife but wanted to know if any of you know anything about this? Is it just like an x-ray, like should be avoided during pregnancy? I don't know what to expect from airport security, like if they will give me a hard time for not wanting to walk through the machine, or if they will understand and check me the old way.

I think if you want to avoid it, you can opt to be patted down instead. It would make me wary, too, and I'm glad you reminded me because I have a flight coming up.

[WifeofAnt]

Not all airports have them. Where are you flying out of? I know Austin and Detroit don't have them because I was just there like 2 months ago.

The machines that are x-ray based (not all are) use backscatter xray. I guess its different than a regular xray because it isn't meant to penetrate the skin. Even though they do use a form of xrays you are still going to get more harmful exposure from the sun while being 30,000 feet up in the plane. Its estimated that one scan equals about 2 minutes of flight time.
The machines that are not xray based use milimeter waves. Not something I know much about but supposedly less radiation than the typical cell phone gives off.

If you choose not to get scanned the alernative is a physical pat down. I had a 'random search' at Austin (yes TSA, that IS in fact a baby bump) and it only took like 10 seconds. Not really as big a deal as I thought it would be.

[loonar]

Because the radiation from the scanner is no worse than the radiation from flying, I was not concerned about walking through one. But the TSA guy pulled me aside and had me skip it anyway (I was obviously pregnant). You can always opt for a pat-down if you're uncomfortable with it.

[MaerynPearl]

I went through Ohare in June... all they had was the usual old metal detectors, no new body scanner yet.

[outlier]

I went through an airport that had one of the new scanners at the beginning of 3rd tri. They won't give you a hard time if you opt out and go for the pat-down. Even if they do, you certainly don't owe them any kind of explanation. I think lots of people are opting out since it's such a new thing, plus there's the knowledge that some TSA employee somewhere would be basically looking at you naked.

[Aliy]

wow... good thing i caught this thread.. i don't know if any of the airporta i'll be in will have anything like this but good to remember.... i fly at the end of the month

[crayfishgirl]

Buffalo airport (a pretty dinky little regional airport) has them. I agree that there isn't much risk, but you can opt out and go through the regular machine if they still have it there (it was still in BUF, and they directed me through that because my DD was in the ergo...another lady asked for that as well with no explanation or questions) or a pat-down.

[~Adorkable~]

i was them here in DC when i flew last week, but the line had both types old and new, they sent folks thru both of them, so i just went thru the old style. i dont know if i have any opion on their safety, but i didnt feel like thinking about it so i made sure i got in the line for the old style

[the janet]

I noticed I was in the security line with one of those newfangled machines and just walked over to the regular metal detector. No one said anything. I'm pretty sure if you're visibly pregnant they just assume you're opting out to be on the safe side.

[OrangeMoon]

Aren't these machines totally new though? I can just picture a study a few years from now like "Airport scanners 30,000 times stronger than previously thought." No way would I walk through one of those while pregnant. Even not pregnant I don't think I would. Lots of things when they come out are "proven" to be safe that are later shown not to be. Like x-rays during pregnancy were recommended way back when - things like that make me try and think for myself.

[teeg1973]

I just flew transatlantic this past week and none of the airports I was in had the new machines. The security person in Frankfurt pulled me aside so that I didn't have to walk through the even the old machines....none of the other airports (both Midway and Ohare and Indianapolis) gave me an option and I just went through them, but I am sure I probably could have asked for a pat down if I had wanted.

Go with your own comfort level!

Tracy

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

I wouldn't do it, pregnant or not. I read a while back that many countries don't like kids under 16 go through them, so I'm not taking chances with a fetus.

[DaisyMae08]

I flew this summer early in my second trimester and the airport was using the body scanner and didn't have the old metal detector. I opted out and no one minded at all. I just had to go through the whole pat down process. I definitely wouldn't walk through one while pregnant.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I didn't realize they ever planned on using the whole body scanner for every person who went through security. How long does it take to scan and check each scan??

[WifeofAnt]

I think maybe 5 seconds a person at most. Step in, raise your arms, get the okay (from the guy on the other side of the airport staring at the screen), and walk through.

[nia82]

I just flew through: Frankfurt, Chicago O'Hare and Denver. None of those airports have the new scanners, just plain old metal detectors. I would opt out of the new ones just to be safe.

@ Teeg: What, they didn't let me skip the metal thing in FRA! Admitted though, I don't look very pregnant at all, especially since I was wearing a dress and the stewardesses were surprised when I said hey I'm 22 weeks! I should have worn something tight to show off the bump, ha, will do so in 2 weeks on the way to SFO...

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

not too sure about the source but they do provide links to their articles to back the story up.

Sounds like in addition to possible negative problems with exposure to the scanners, human rights are being violated as well.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/big-sis-...-backlash.html

[mkat83]

So, are the old style machines considered safe to walk through while pregnant, then?

[nia82]

Yes, the old metal detectors are considered safe. Though I have heard of pregnant women who were asked by TSA to not go through them. But I always have so far.