Do you go through airport metal detectors?

[mannah]

I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this--the signs in the airport for the metal detectors and the new round/body scanner things say they are safe for pregnant women, but I've still been opting out and getting the (surprisingly thorough) pat-down. What do you all choose to do? Any specific advice from peoples' MWs/OBs?

[hillarywhitney]

I will be flying in a few weeks, and I have just been assuming I'd go through the scanner/metal detector. I will probably ask my dr. for her advice. But, I'm not feeling too worried about it.

Do you fly a lot?

[FastHands]

Metal detectors are completely fine. The full body scanners are X-ray based, so I will probably opt out of them just out of an abundance of caution if a metal detector is available. I know some gates at some airports ONLY have the full body scanners, though, so I'm not sure if I want to avoid it enough to get a pat down. I am only flying once, and at 24 weeks, so if a metal detector isn't available, I'll likely just go through the scanner. I might be more cautious if I was travelling earlier in the pregnancy and/or far more frequently.

[VillainV]

I have done both the scanners and metal detectors with zero reservations about either. There is no indication that they are unsafe.

I do think it's sadistic that they make pregnant women take their shoes off.... So wear slip-ons:-)

[mannah]

Apr 4, 2014 10:33:47 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

I will be flying in a few weeks, and I have just been assuming I'd go through the scanner/metal detector. I will probably ask my dr. for her advice. But, I'm not feeling too worried about it.

Do you fly a lot?

We've flown a few times and we're headed to Chicago today for our first shower (yay!) so I was thinking about it. Also a pregnant friend of mine asked me earlier what I did for that, and so I thought I'd see what other people did on here.

[dana2006]

I go through the metal detector but opt out of the full body scanner. The last time I traveled (airport at St. Thomas) the choice was b/w the scanner and a full body pat down. They gave me a very thorough pat down (surprising to me since I was in very thin summer clothes with no layers). The worst part was they would not allow me to put my flip flop back on while walking over the large expanse of disgusting floors b/w the line for the scanner and the pat down area. I think if I had not already taken my shoes off before asking for the pat down they would not have cared if I walked over in my shoes, but once any article of clothing is off they yell at you if you ask to put it back on before the pat down takes place.

[hillarywhitney]

Apr 4, 2014 10:39:44 GMT -5 mannah said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:33:47 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

I will be flying in a few weeks, and I have just been assuming I'd go through the scanner/metal detector. I will probably ask my dr. for her advice. But, I'm not feeling too worried about it.

Do you fly a lot?

We've flown a few times and we're headed to Chicago today for our first shower (yay!) so I was thinking about it. Also a pregnant friend of mine asked me earlier what I did for that, and so I thought I'd see what other people did on here.

Have fun at your shower! 

I wish I had more concrete advice. I would just do what you are most comfortable doing. Or maybe call your dr and see what s/he says? 

[mannah]

Apr 4, 2014 10:41:22 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:39:44 GMT -5 mannah said:

We've flown a few times and we're headed to Chicago today for our first shower (yay!) so I was thinking about it. Also a pregnant friend of mine asked me earlier what I did for that, and so I thought I'd see what other people did on here.

Have fun at your shower! 

I wish I had more concrete advice. I would just do what you are most comfortable doing. Or maybe call your dr and see what s/he says? 

Thanks! I'm just wanting to see what everyone's thoughts are because I'm curious. I'll be sticking to my overly cautious likely unnecessary pat down. Haha.

[FastHands]

Apr 4, 2014 10:41:22 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:39:44 GMT -5 mannah said:

We've flown a few times and we're headed to Chicago today for our first shower (yay!) so I was thinking about it. Also a pregnant friend of mine asked me earlier what I did for that, and so I thought I'd see what other people did on here.

Have fun at your shower! 

I wish I had more concrete advice. I would just do what you are most comfortable doing. Or maybe call your dr and see what s/he says? 

The CDC does say the scanners are fine because they emit such an extremely low amount of x-rays. That's why I think I would be ok with it vs. suffering through a pat-down (and taking more time), but if a metal detector were fairly convenient, I'd pick that first. If the scanners had been around longer, I'd have zero qualms whatsoever vs my current 0.002 qualms.

[hillarywhitney]

Apr 4, 2014 10:46:21 GMT -5 mannah said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:41:22 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

Have fun at your shower! 

I wish I had more concrete advice. I would just do what you are most comfortable doing. Or maybe call your dr and see what s/he says? 

Thanks! I'm just wanting to see what everyone's thoughts are because I'm curious. I'll be sticking to my overly cautious likely unnecessary pat down. Haha.

I completely understand being overly cautious There are some things I feel fairly breezy about, and others I'm a bit on the overly cautious side. 

[Deleted]

I am fine with the metal detectors. I will not go through the full body scanners while pregnant. I flew 4x during my 1st tri and got the pat down every time. I did not think it was that thorough actually. I was kind of surprised.

[hillarywhitney]

Apr 4, 2014 10:46:31 GMT -5 FastHands said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:41:22 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

Have fun at your shower! 

I wish I had more concrete advice. I would just do what you are most comfortable doing. Or maybe call your dr and see what s/he says? 

The CDC does say the scanners are fine because they emit such an extremely low amount of x-rays. That's why I think I would be ok with it vs. suffering through a pat-down (and taking more time), but if a metal detector were fairly convenient, I'd pick that first. If the scanners had been around longer, I'd have zero qualms whatsoever vs my current 0.002 qualms.

This is good to know. I thought about googling, but thought I'd end up in a rabbit-hole of worry. haha. 

[katiek]

I flew at 16 weeks. I asked the guy checking my passport about it, and he said going through the big scanner was fine. The person who was at the scanner told me to go through the metal detector, though, so I did. I guess it all depends on your comfort level, and the comfort level of the person working. In other news, I'm surprised he could tell I was pregnant confidently enough to say something!

[nessness]

Apr 4, 2014 10:57:02 GMT -5 katiek said:

I flew at 16 weeks. I asked the guy checking my passport about it, and he said going through the big scanner was fine. The person who was at the scanner told me to go through the metal detector, though, so I did. I guess it all depends on your comfort level, and the comfort level of the person working. In other news, I'm surprised he could tell I was pregnant confidently enough to say something!

Sometimes they just randomly assign people to go through the metal detectors, so it may have been unrelated to you being pregnant.

I flew several times in first tri, and opted out of the body scanner. Yes, it is probably safe, but I'm not confident they've done enough research to say for sure. I did go through one time when I was running late and worried I'd miss my flight, but I figure the less exposure the better.

[bernergirl]

I had to fly for a work trip at 17w. I opted out of the scanner and got the pat-down. My reasoning was that I had such a short trip that the baby would be getting the scanner dose 2x in less than 48 hours. If it had been a longer trip I might have done the scanner, but other than waiting several minutes for a lady agent, the pat-down was not that bad at either airport. If it had been a plain old metal detector, then I would have gone through without a second thought.

[ringstrue]

I would just do the metal detector/pat down route. With little kids they have you do that one anyway cuz little kids and big weird scanners = PITA!

[katiek]

Apr 4, 2014 11:04:38 GMT -5 nessness said:

Apr 4, 2014 10:57:02 GMT -5 katiek said:

I flew at 16 weeks. I asked the guy checking my passport about it, and he said going through the big scanner was fine. The person who was at the scanner told me to go through the metal detector, though, so I did. I guess it all depends on your comfort level, and the comfort level of the person working. In other news, I'm surprised he could tell I was pregnant confidently enough to say something!

Sometimes they just randomly assign people to go through the metal detectors, so it may have been unrelated to you being pregnant.

I didn't know that! But he said "go through here, you don't want the scanner when you're pregnant," so I know that's why.

[megkat]

I'm another one who's fine with the metal detector, but opted for the pat down instead of the full body scanner. I was only 6 weeks last time I flew, and even though my dr told me that the body scanner was fine, I just felt more comfortable with the pat down. If there wasn't an alternative, I would have gone through the scanner, but since there was another option, I felt more comfortable opting out.

I was very fortunate with both of my pat downs, the TSA agents who did them were both very friendly, especially once I explained to them that I was pregnant.

[smock]

My maternity pants always set off the full body scanner. Maybe I should opt for the pat-down next time!

[loira]

I went through a metal detector when taking the Eurostar a couple of weeks ago. I didn't even consider this...

[anna7602]

I've flown a few times and have gone through scanners and metal detectors. I've told personnel that I'm pregnant all times and they said it's fine. I never bothered to ask my doctor.

[jene]

I have gone through the scanners, doesn't seem like a big risk to me

[robinsbff]

i'll only be flying for one trip and at 30 weeks so will probably just use the scanner. i know it's the standard walkthrough at my home airport, don't know about where we are headed, but will get it at least once.

[sillygoosegirl]

I always chose the freedom grope when I wasn't pregnant, and I see no reason to change now.

[sewpinkgal]

I chose the pat down on my recent flight. I happily nursed a glass of champagne at the wedding that weekend, but would not go through the scanner. Everybody picks the thing they're going to be crazy pants about, you know?

[robinsbff]

i just talked to DH about this, who is a scientist who works with xrays. he says that you get a much higher does of radiation from the actual flying than you would from the scanner anyway so there is no real purpose in opting out if radiation is your concern.

from this website:

"For a typical cross-country flight in a commercial airplane, you are likely to receive 2 to 5 millirem (mrem) of radiation, less than half the radiation dose you receive from a chest x-ray."

[andthentherewere10]

I just flew 2 weeks ago (I'm 35 weeks pregnant). I guess since I'm obviously pregnant it was easy for me - they took me aside without me having to make a decision or even ask - put me through priority lines and gave me a (rather perfunctory) pat down each time. If I was pg and not showing, I'd have no problem going through either device but my H does have a problem with it.

[pinotgrig]

I know it's perfectly safe but I've been opting for a pat down instead. Moreso because I feel like I have more time to collect myself afterwards since they usually pull my stuff off the belts before I'm done (or h does if we're traveling together).

All my pat down ppl have been super nice and wanted to talk about the baby, so I haven't minded that part of it.

[rbp]

I have taken three round-trip flights since pregnant. The first time I was five weeks pregnant and didn't even think about it, so I went through the body scanner. I am not convinced that there's anything unsafe about it, but I'm also not convinced that it's safe for a fetus. Of course the TSA people will tell you to go through the scanner. In my experience, they don't want to do any more work than they absolutely have to. You should see the attitude I've gotten when I asked for a pat-down. Maybe that won't happen on my next flight since I'm showing now?

Anyway, I'm not comfortable with the lack of data regarding scanner safety, and none of the four airports I've been in would let me go through the metal detector instead, so pat-down it is.