Safety Status:
Trying to Conceive: SafePregnancy: Safe
Breastfeeding: Safe
What We Know: Airport security screening typically involves either millimeter wave scanners or metal detectors. Millimeter wave technology uses non-ionizing electromagnetic waves to create an image of the body and detect potential threats, while metal detectors use electromagnetic fields to identify metallic objects.
For individuals trying to conceive, airport security scanners are considered safe. The American College of Radiology and other scientific bodies confirm that the non-ionizing radiation used in millimeter wave scanners does not have sufficient energy to damage DNA or reproductive cells. The electromagnetic fields generated by metal detectors are also well below thresholds of concern for reproductive health. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and international aviation authorities have determined these technologies pose no known risk to reproductive function.
During pregnancy, airport security scanners continue to receive a “Safe” classification. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that airport screening procedures do not use ionizing radiation and pose no risk to the developing fetus. The millimeter wave technology used in modern scanners operates at a frequency that cannot penetrate beyond the skin’s surface. According to the Health Physics Society, the energy emitted by these scanners is thousands of times lower than that of a cell phone call. Metal detectors create a magnetic field that does not interact with biological tissue in ways that could affect fetal development.
For breastfeeding individuals, airport security scanners are also considered safe. Neither millimeter wave scanners nor metal detectors have mechanisms by which they could affect milk production or composition. The World Health Organization and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection have established safety guidelines for these technologies that account for all population groups, including lactating individuals.
Important considerations include knowing that individuals may always request a manual pat-down instead of electronic screening if they prefer, though this is based on personal comfort rather than established safety concerns. Notably, the older backscatter X-ray scanners (which did use a very low dose of ionizing radiation) have been removed from U.S. airports since 2013, and the current millimeter wave technology is fundamentally different and does not use ionizing radiation.
Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion on Air Travel During Pregnancy, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Safety Statements, Health Physics Society Position Statements, American College of Radiology Guidance, World Health Organization (WHO) Electromagnetic Field Guidelines