Airport Scanners: Safe Or Unsafe For Expecting Mothers?

There are two types of airport scanners: millimeter-wave scanners and x-ray backscatter scanners. Both are considered safe for pregnant women, as they use non-ionizing radiation, which is the same type of radiation used by mobile phones, televisions, and radios. This type of radiation does not have enough energy to damage cells and does not reach far inside the body. While some pregnant women may still opt for a pat-down instead of walking through a scanner, the current consensus is that airport scanners pose no harm to pregnant women or their babies.

Millimeter-wave scanners are safe for pregnant women

Millimeter-wave scanners are one of the two types of scanners used in US airports, the other being x-ray backscatter scanners. Both types of scanners are safe for pregnant women to pass through. Millimeter-wave scanners are the most common type of scanner in US airports.

X-ray backscatter scanners were removed from major US airports in 2012 due to privacy concerns but are still used in some airports. Although there were concerns about the amount of radiation exposure from backscatter scanners, it has not been shown to be high enough to pose a threat to human health. A 2011 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that the risk of cancer from radiation exposure with backscatter scanners was minimal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-ionizing radiation does not pose a risk to pregnant women and their babies. The CDC also states that a fetus can safely be exposed to a maximum dose of 100 millisieverts (0.1 Gray) of ionizing radiation during pregnancy without harmful health effects. A backscatter scan exposes you to less than one-millionth of this limit.

If you are pregnant and still concerned about walking through a full-body scanner, you can request a pat-down screening instead. This will be conducted by a female Transportation Security Officer.

X-ray backscatter scanners are safe for pregnant women

Backscatter scanners were more commonly used in the past but were removed from major US airports in 2012 due to privacy concerns. They are still used in some airports, and other countries may still use them. These scanners emit low-intensity radiation that does not penetrate the skin or harm the fetus. The radiation exposure from a single backscatter scan is equivalent to the amount of cosmic radiation one would be exposed to during one to three minutes of flight time.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common exposures to non-ionizing radiation do not pose a risk to pregnant women and their babies. Non-ionizing radiation is lower energy than ionizing radiation, which means it does not have enough energy to damage cells. Additionally, it does not penetrate very far into the body.

The CDC also states that a fetus can safely be exposed to a maximum dose of 100 millisieverts (0.1 Gray) of ionizing radiation at any point during pregnancy without harmful health effects. A backscatter scan exposes an individual to approximately .00003 millisieverts to 0.0001 millisieverts, which is well below the recommended limit.

In summary, while it is natural for pregnant women to be concerned about the safety of airport scanners, the evidence suggests that X-ray backscatter scanners are safe for pregnant women and their fetuses.

Non-ionizing radiation is harmless to pregnant women

There is no need for concern for pregnant women passing through airport security scanners. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed that all screening equipment at airport security checkpoints is safe for pregnant women. The TSA uses advanced imaging technology systems for on-person screening that utilize safe, non-ionizing, radio-frequency millimeter-wave technology. This non-ionizing radiation is harmless to pregnant women and their babies.

Non-ionizing radiation is the least harmful type of radiation and is what full-body millimeter-wave scanners at airports use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common exposures to non-ionizing radiation do not pose a risk to pregnant women and their babies. This is because non-ionizing radiation has lower energy than ionizing radiation, meaning it doesn't have enough power to damage cells in the average child, teen, adult, pregnant person, or fetus.

Andrew Karam, PhD, CHP, a board-certified radiation safety professional, explains that low-energy, non-ionizing radiation "doesn't reach very far inside the body," and, more importantly, "it's not physically able to cause all sorts of damage that can lead to birth defects or that can lead to cancer." The energy projected by millimeter-wave technology is thousands of times less than a cell phone transmission and is reflected off the body rather than penetrating it.

Even the X-ray backscatter scanners, which were removed from major US airports in 2012 due to privacy concerns, have not shown radiation exposure high enough to pose a threat to human health, including pregnant women. The amount of radiation from one backscatter scan is equivalent to the radiation exposure of one to three minutes of flight time.

Exposure levels are well within safe limits

Exposure levels from airport scanners are well within safe limits for pregnant women. Millimeter-wave, full-body scanners are the most common in US airports. These devices use non-ionizing radiation, which is the same type of radiation that everyday devices such as phones, televisions, and radios use to function. Non-ionizing radiation is lower energy than ionizing radiation and does not have enough power to damage cells in the average child, adult, or fetus.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), common exposures to non-ionizing radiation do not pose a risk to pregnant women and their babies. Andrew Karam, PhD, CHP, a board-certified radiation safety professional, explains that non-ionizing radiation "doesn't reach very far inside the body" and is "not physically able to cause all sorts of damage that can lead to birth defects or cancer."

Even the x-ray backscatter scanners, which were more commonly used in the past but still remain in some airports, have not shown radiation exposure high enough to pose a threat to human health. The amount of radiation from one backscatter scan is equivalent to one to three minutes of flight time. The flight itself exposes you to more radiation than a single backscatter or full-body scan.

The exposure levels of body scanners are several thousand times less than the standard maximum exposure levels considered safe. Most of the waves are reflected within 1mm of the body, resulting in lower penetration than most everyday device exposures.

Alternative screening methods are available

One alternative is a pat-down screening, which can be requested at any time during the security process. This involves a female airport worker gently patting down the pregnant woman's body, including her pregnant belly, while she stands with her arms spread out to the side. This method is often found to be ""soothing" and "relaxing" by pregnant travellers.

Another option is to request private screening, which can be witnessed by a companion of the traveller's choice. This screening is conducted by a Transportation Security Officer of the same gender, who will explain the pat-down process before and during the screening.

It is important to note that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) assures that all screening equipment at airport security checkpoints is safe for all travellers, including pregnant women. The TSA's advanced imaging technology systems use safe, non-ionizing, radio frequency millimeter wave technology, which is thousands of times less powerful than a cell phone transmission. Additionally, full-body scanners use non-ionizing radiation, which is lower in energy than ionizing radiation and does not have enough power to damage the cells of a pregnant person or fetus.

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