Airport Security

Rach162 · December 2013

Hi June mamas!
I'll be flying for Christmas in a couple days and was wondering what your thoughts are on the safety of walking through the security scanner? I'm about 15 weeks and am not sure if I should get a "private pat down" (Also is it a faster wait time through security with the pat down?) thanks!

lellymine · December 2013

I just got home from flying and I went through the metal detector but that may have been because I had a small child with me. I did check with my dr before and she said the scanners are perfectly safe while pregnant.

ncbelle · December 2013

I wouldn't worry - you get more radiation exposure from flying than going through the scanner.

PinkKEL9 · December 2013

My Dr said it was fine. I did it at 10 weeks.

curlylocks3 · December 2013

I opted for the public pat down on my three flights this past week. They always say the new scanners are perfectly safe but I am just not comfortable with it. Also, pat downs will definitely take longer since you wait in the same line as everyone else and then they have to get a female TSA agent that isn't busy (or working in one of the lines) brought over to scan you.

lclark79 · December 2013

It is fine. Otherwise there would be a big caution sign alerting pregnant women not to go through them.

ElTrain5 · December 2013

The metal detectors are fine. As for the backscatter machines(where you stand with your hands up), they are safe "as long as they are tested properly". As a reference, most hospital machines are tested daily. TSA machines are tested "approximately once a year". So the question becomes, how much faith do you have in the efficiency of the TSA. I don't do the backscatter machines. I've been through TSAenough to know those people dont have their shit together and I don't want to go through a machine that emits radiation that they maintain. I'm a former flight attendant if that lends any credibility.

eryale · December 2013

I was told by a TSA employee that "I wouldn't recommend it" when I asked him if its safe for me to go through pregnant. So, I opted for a pat down. In my opnion, it's best to be safe... Just be sure to get to the airport a few minutes earlier than usual so you won't feel stressed for time while you stand there waiting for the female assist... And some of them are very serious about their pat downs which takes a little more time!

Belinda80 · December 2013

I went through it at 6 weeks not knowing I was pregnant and I was so worried but the dr said it didn't matter

CherSomething · December 2013

I refuse those body scanners when I'm not pregnant, I'm sure as sh** not going through one now. I never have to go through them anyway because I always have my son with me and they don't make kids go through them.

I think those scanners are smoke and mirrors and a violation of privacy. I disagree with them and won't do it.

ElTrain5 · December 2013

I agree Cher. I just don't trust anything about them. And I'm usually not the kind to worry much about those things. Radiation+TSA= no thank you.

temursgirl · December 2013

My doctor said I could go through the scanner at 12 weeks, but I chose not to. I prefer a pat down even when not pregnant. The scanner creeps me out. I just feel it's an invasion of privacy and it's not an old enough technology that I can feel really comfortable with it. The pat down didn't add an excessive amount of time, but maybe a few minutes. Full disclosure, I travel a lot of places where they always and only do the pat down, so I'm pretty comfortable with it.

MrsCase1 · December 2013

When I flew last time, I declined the body scan. I did do the metal detector and I did ask for a pat down. It was on my doctor's recommendation when those full body scanner were new. The TSA lady gave me a TON of grief and I had to report her. Pregnant or not, it is your right to not go through the scanner. The pat down took a long time because they needed to find someone and they are very, ahem, thorough! I joked with the lady who did it that she owed me dinner after that and she just laughed. Not bad at all save for the insane lady who tried to change my mind initially.

Pepper6 · December 2013

I went through the full body scanner at 8&9 weeks (there and back). You get more radiation while flying than you do going through those things and it just wasn't worth the hassle to me.

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