Why are women OK with traveling via airplane during pregnancy but generally not ok with getting an xray?

Question

Do women not realize that in flight you are exposed to as much radiation as a chest x ray? lol. Just curious.

To put the risks of radiation from X-rays into perspective: a four-hour airline flight will expose you to the same amount of radiation (from cosmic rays) as from a simple chest X-ray. This is the same as the amount of radiation we would be exposed to naturally (from background radiation) over 10 days.
http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/health_news/300104xray.html

I'm not asking if some scientsits think this level of radiation (in a flight or an x-ray) is neglibible or not, I'm asking whether mothers would take the risk if they were informed about the radiation. Many mothers won't even get a dental x-ray! lol. I would surely think twice.

Answer 1

To everyone who is bashing the asker:

The point is, a 4 hour flight exposes you to the same amount of radiation as a chest x-ray. She is completely correct in that statement.

Answer 2

I found this information while researching this...

The general consensus is that flying a few times while pregnant is fine. It's people that fly frequently that run any type of risk (and the risk is very low).....
http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/pregnancyandflying.html
http://www.babycenter.com/400_will-the-radiation-im-exposed-to-on-an-airplane-flight-harm_506593_1001.bc
http://abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1127370.htm

This is what I found for regular radiation (x-ray) and defects...
http://www.healthgoods.com/education/Health_Information/Pregnancy/x_ray_and_pregnancy.htm

It's clear that there is definite corelations between x-rays and unlikely damage with flying....

Stop trying to scare people

Answer 3

In what way are you exposed to radiation during flight exactly?

Answer 4

I guess not!

Answer 5

not so...