I have heard some people say it isn't safe to go through the new x-ray scanners at the airport when you are pregnant. I know I want to avoid as much x-ray as possible.
Anyone else fly while they were pregnant? Did you go for the pat down?
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I would have asked for the pat down when I flew at 7 weeks but I got lucky and wasn't randomly selected to do either.
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I flew at 33 weeks and I didnt go through the scanner, I asked for a pat down instead and there was no problem.
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Okay, I think that is definitely the way I will go. I hate those things anyway
They always make me feel like I have done something wrong even though I haven't.
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I don't typically go through backscatter machines, anyways. It's not really an x-ray in the typical sense that an x-ray is. I'm avoiding all traditional x-rays.
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I flew 8 or so times through my pregnancy so far. I went through the backscatter machines each time. I would avoid X-rays though.
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Hmmm I will be traveling at 29/30 weeks so good to see what everyone has to say about this. I was just planing on asking for a pat down.
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i asked for a pat down when i flew at 26 weeks because they had one of the new machines and i didn't feel comfortable. i went through the regular machines earlier in my pregnancy and on the way there for the 26w flight.
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I flew early on and went for the pat down - I figured better safe than sorry - it wasn't a big deal....
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I asked for the patdowns too.
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I flew at 16 weeks and went through the big new full body scanners each way. No issues with baby and no pat down (which I was NOT interested in. Please don't touch me).
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I've flown a few times over the last couple of weeks and just opted out from the backscatter and got a pat down. It really wasn't too bad (though it was a full pat down). I called our midwife's office to ask and they basically said not to go through the machines, without coming out and saying it. I'm sure they are safe enough, there just hasn't been a ton of evidence since they're so new and govt. run.
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I flew a few times while pregnant. Never went through the x-ray machine. Never got patted down either.
I guess I don't look suspicious! -
I flew at 10 weeks and I went through the scanner. My doctor told me it was fine.
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The times I've flown everyone was expected to go through the backscatter machines but I opted out ever time. One guy was rude and said, 'you know you'll be exposed to radiation on the airplane, right?' I was like, um yes, but I am not looking to add on any more, thanks. Everyone else was so incredibly nice. One TSA woman even pulled me out of the line early and said, 'you don't want to go through there.' The pat downs were totally no problem. I didn't find them awkward at all. It is everyone's right to opt out so if you have any doubts, you might as well do it. Plenty of other people who weren't pregnant were opting out as well.
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I asked to opt out (they put me in the line for it and not Wagon Sr., maybe because I had a big baby bump and could be concealing something in it!) and they were great about it, both times. I was put aside until a female TSA worker was free, and she very quickly and thoroughly explained to me what she would do and what I needed to do (just step forward, step forward with the other foot, etc) and it was really fast and easy.
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Good, that makes me feel better! I have never had to get the pat down, but I always pictured it as very unpleasant.
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I flew at 15 wks and went through a new scanner. No problems.
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I flew at 13 or 14 weeks and opted out of the scanner - got the pat-down instead (which was nothing like the media has made it out to be). I was travelling with my mum who's a retired professor of medical imaging and she said, quite emphatically, that I absolutely should not go through the scanner.
I did some research on it after the fact, and there has not been a single longitudinal study on the risk of that type of radiation on fetuses. My thought: why take the risk when it can easily be avoided?
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My doctor told me it was fine so I went through. At our departing airport, they actually noticed I was pregnant (I was 15 weeks) and sent me through the regular machine. I went through the backscatter everywhere else. You're exposed to a lot more radiation on the plane, was how it was explained to me.
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I've gone through and I've opted out. I'm indecisive, I guess. I totally rest my hand on my belly and catch the TSA agent's eye, though, because they usually pull me out to go through the regular metal detector when I do that. I opt out if I have time, but if I'm rushing I just go through if necessary. I've read quite a bit about it, and I feel confident that going through it once or twice would not be an issue. If I was flying all the time for work or something, I would opt out most of the time.
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I would definitely not risk it and always opt out. DH's radiology professor told him to not go through, so we don't. Seeing as they haven't been around a long time, we don't yet know the long term effects and I rather not take any risks.
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I chose not to go through and when I said I was pregnant they tried to explain how safe it was. So on the way home I just said that I would prefer not to go through, without saying why, and they were very accommodating. So I am just gonna go with that next time. I guess it made me sound like I knew what I was talking about!
They always make me feel like I have done something wrong even though I haven't.
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22 comments