Flying while pregnant and xray machines

Not pregnant again, but wondering, since I am still ttc, can I fly while pregnant if I happen to be early on in the pg? What do drs say about the xray machines for security? Can you bypass those and opt for a pat down?

Message edited 1/25/2012 6:03:21 PM.

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

Yep, flying is fine until 30 something weeks. And the normal machines that you walk through at the airport are just metal detectors so there is no harm.
Good Luck!

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

I flew at 20 weeks... I told the lady at orlando airport that I wasn't really wanting to go through the body scanner (I was obv preg by then). I said, "I'll get a pat down or whatever, I just dont want to go through that machine."
She said "ahhhhh it's ok, dont worry- I don't want to upset you" & let me skip the body scanner & the pat down as well! haha

as for the regular metal detector, I went through those without a worry

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

The full body scanner exposes you to way less radiation then the flight itself(which is considered perfectly safe). Hope that helps!

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

Here you go this is what my OB pointed me to in an article HTH:)

"According to a recent report from the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Americans are exposed to an average of 0.01 microsieverts (a unit used to measure radiation) per minute. The most common sources are the sun and radon released from the earth.

According to the study's authors, backscatter x-ray scanners expose people to 0.03 to 0.1 microsieverts per scan, which they say is equal to three to nine minutes of radiation you'd get in the course of daily living.

They add that travelers are exposed to far more naturally occurring radiation in-flight because of the proximity to the sun. (The TSA estimates that the scanners result in the equivalent exposure each person receives in about two minutes of flight.)"

Obviously do whatever you are comfortable with and you can always request the pat down instead. Enjoy your travels

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

I was selected to go through but just told them I was pregnant and they let me go through the regular machine. i hadnt done enough research oj the mew machines at the time to feel comfortable going through them.

Re: Flying while pregnant and xray machines

I fly about once a week for my job and go through the regular xray each time. I checked with my doc and he said it's no problem. I'm 24 weeks btw!