Are the body scanners in airports safe while pregnant?

It's safe for you to stand next to one of these machines while you're pregnant. There are no increased risks to you or your unborn baby, whether you are a passenger or working in airport security. If you're planning a trip abroad and have any concerns, find out all you need to know about flying during pregnancy.



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Is it safe to walk through airport security scanners when pregnant? Yes, it's perfectly safe. The kind of whole-body scanner you step through uses technology called millimetrewave imaging. It's designed to pick up potentially dangerous objects that may be concealed under clothing.

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All our machines receive a variety of tests to ensure they are safe. They DO NOT use X-rays to produce an image. Still not comfortable? You can always opt out and request a pat-down.

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Airport body searches, or “pat downs” involve being physically pat down by a security officer to confirm that you aren't carrying prohibited items under your clothing. Airport pat downs happen for two reasons: by random chance or because something about your clothing, appearance, or luggage seems suspicious.

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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) when pregnant and flying The risk of DVT increases when you're flying and with longer flights because you are sitting down for a long time. You're also at a higher risk of developing a DVT when you are pregnant and for up to six weeks after you give birth .

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If you have a straightforward pregnancy and are healthy, there is no evidence that the changes in air pressure and/or the decrease in humidity have a harmful effect on you or your baby. There is no evidence that flying will cause miscarriage, early labour or your waters to break.

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Choose an aisle seat Some people have very strong feelings about whether the aisle or the window is the best seat on a plane. Even if you love a window seat, as a pregnant person, opt for the aisle. First, you'll have more room.

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Full-body scanners identify both metallic and non-metallic items. However, these scanners cannot detect drugs inside the body. This is what makes these types of scanners different from medical X-rays.

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The Transportation Security Administration randomly swabs passengers' hands at security checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives. The TSA swabs are analyzed for nitroglycerin, nitrates, glycerin, or other chemicals. This was an expansion in 2010 from simply swabbing luggage and other items.

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Furthermore, the GAO report found that it isn't just headgear and hairstyles that increases the rate of false alarms, a passenger's body fat content will also affect the rate of false alarms.

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