Can I Use a Metal Detector While I’m Pregnant?
If your pregnant and want to continue or try out metal detecting, you may be wondering whether using a metal detector is safe or not due to the radiation that comes from these devices.
So to answer your question, yes, using a metal detector is completely fine during pregnancy as most of these devices give off non-ionizing radiation which is not enough to harm you or the baby while you are using your metal detector.
However, if you are pregnant and metal detecting, you might want to have a few searching and safety tips under your belt before you go out on the field, so we have put a small metal detecting guide below for you to follow if your pregnant or even if your not!
How Can Metal Detectors Be Dangerous To Pregnant Woman?
So if you know its safe to use a metal detector while you are pregnant, you are probably wondering where all this fuss has come from and why people think it’s dangerous to use a metal detector or walk through one while you are pregnant.
In truth, radiation can be harmful to a pregnant woman and their unborn baby and by rule, a pregnant woman should not be exposed to more than 0.5 rem of radiation throughout the whole pregnancy, making the likelihood of being affected by a metal detector very small.
The only time a metal detector might become dangerous to a woman is if you are around them a lot, so in this case to be sure, just reduce how much you are using your metal detector while you are pregnant, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use it at all.
Most metal detectors operate at a low enough frequency and have non-ionizing radiation which is fine for a pregnant woman to be around.
What’s The Deal With Airport Metal Detectors & Pregnant Woman?
Now you might be wondering if handheld metal detectors are safe for a pregnant woman to use, what about the large ones at the airport.
Airport metal detectors are also considered safe for a pregnant woman to use thanks to the fact they also emit non-ionizing radiation and operate at low frequencies, however, you can easily ask to be checked a different way if these small levels of radiation still concern you when you are pregnant.
The metal detectors that are used to scan your luggage’s at the airport however do emit more dangerous radiation but remain covered during the checking process, so pregnant woman will not be exposed to any danger.
How to Use a Metal Detector When Your Pregnant?
Now you know it safe to use a metal detector while you are pregnant, we can get on to how to use one, whether your a beginner or not or even if your not pregnant, this little step by step guide can help you get the most out of the time you spend metal detecting.
Step One – Understand How To Sweep
The first and most important thing to learn when metal detecting is how to properly sweep your device.
Sweeping your metal detector low against the ground is important for picking up signals, you should also do this in a controlled slow place so as you can avoid missing any objects and pick up signals easily.
Step Two – Test Your Metal Detector
Try gathering different metals and burying them underground in your garden, test your detector out and get used to hearing different sounds from it while your searching for the objects.
You should keep practising with your detector until you can differentiate between the alerts your detector gives and get a hang of sweeping it for long periods.
Step Three – Keep a Search Pattern
Searching all over the place with your metal detector and not having a method will be tiring (especially if you are pregnant) and can mean you might end up sweeping over the same area twice.
Try sweeping a border first then working in one motion from left to right in a grid pattern, this will allow you to only sweep over an area once and keep track of where you need to go next.
If your metal detector starts to detect something you can move your device front to back and side to side till you can pinpoint where your object is that you need to dig up.
Step Four – Don’t Clean What You Find
As tempting as it can be when you find an object you should restrain from cleaning it. Finding an artefact and cleaning it can lower its value, you should always just lightly brush off the dirt to reveal the object and leave it at that.
Step Five – Stay Patient
As tiring as it can be when your pregnant, you will need to stay patient when using your metal detector, you will often keep finding rubbish or nothing at all when you search, but that’s what makes the treasure more worthwhile!
Step Six – Wear Some Earphones
If you are hunting in a public place then wearing headphones will allow you to block out the noise around you and focus on the beeps that your detector is making, allowing you to be certain that you don’t miss any objects.
Safety Tips For Metal Detecting While You Are Pregnant
Now you are familiar with some helpful steps about how to use your metal detector while your pregnant, you should also study some safety tips so as you can be using your detector as comfortably as possible while you are out on the field.
We have listed a few important safety tips out below.
- Consider your stage of pregnancy – Metal detecting can become a tiresome and strenuous activity at the later stages of your pregnancy, you’ll probably find you enjoy it much more at the early stages instead.
- Know when to call it a day – This type of activity can be very addictive, and before you know it you might have spent all day out on the field, however, being pregnant can already be giving you strain on your body, so you need to consider limiting sessions to a couple of hours or less.
- Think about the location – Try and choose easy access locations that don’t require lots of climbing or adventure hiking.
- Go as two people – For digging up the tough ground and more hard-wearing parts of metal detecting, going as two people might make it much easier on yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Metal Detecting While Pregnant
Is it safe to use a metal detector while I am pregnant?
Yes, there is no reason why you can’t continue using your metal detector while you are pregnant, just remember not to overexert yourself and maybe reduce your sessions slightly.
How much radiation is harmful to a pregnant woman?
Radiation is only harmful to a pregnant woman in very large amounts such as over 500 chest x-rays, non-ionizing radiation that comes from your metal detector, TV and microwave is not harmful.
What does non-ionizing radiation mean?
Non-ionizing radiation is safe and comes from most metal detectors, this type of radiation is not a threat to a pregnant woman and refers to radiation that does not have enough energy to remove an electron from an atom and turn it into an ion.
Why do people think metal detectors can cause a baby harm?
Many people think metal detectors can harm there baby due to the radiation that these devices emit, however, most of this radiation is at very low frequencies and small levels to cause any harm.
Are airport metal detectors safe to walk through during pregnancy?
There are two types of metal detectors at an airport, handheld metal detectors as we have discussed in our article and backscatter machines.
Handheld metal detectors are safe to use on a pregnant woman and backscatter machines are also safe but do emit a very small amount of radiation, you can always refuse to pass through this if the small number of radiation concerns you and have a pat-down check instead.
Can Metal Detectors Pose a Risk to Pregnant Women?
Pregnant women may wonder about metal detectors radiation safety. While the level of radiation emitted by metal detectors is generally low, there is still some concern about potential risk to a developing fetus. It’s advisable for pregnant women to inform security personnel and request an alternative screening method.
Final Words
Overall, there is no reason as to why you can’t use your metal detector during pregnancy as long as you stay safe and get the most out of your device by using our tips above.
Radiation is generally not a problem from metal detectors and the levels emitted from devices is much too low to have any effect on you or your baby. If you are still concerned about using a metal detector while you are pregnant it may be best to check with a professional or reduce your detecting sessions.