X-Rays, Pregnancy and You...
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Pregnancy is a time to take good care of
yourself and your unborn child. Many things are especially important
during pregnancy, such as eating right, cutting out cigarettes and
alcohol, and being careful about the prescription and over-the-counter
drugs you take. Diagnostic x-rays and other medical radiation
procedures of the abdominal area also deserve extra attention
during pregnancy. This brochure is to help you understand the
issues concerning x-ray exposure during pregnancy.
Diagnostic x-rays can give the
doctor important and even life-saving information about a person's
medical condition. But like many things, diagnostic x-rays
have risks as well as benefits. They should be used only when
they will give the doctor information needed to treat you.
You'll probably never need an
abdominal x-ray during pregnancy. But sometimes, because of a particular
medical condition, your physician may feel that a diagnostic x-ray
of your abdomen or lower torso is needed. If this should happen
- don't be upset. The risk to you and your unborn child is very
small, and the benefit of finding out about your medical condition
is far greater. In fact, the risk of not having a needed
x-ray could be much greater than the risk from the radiation. But
even small risks should not be taken if they're unnecessary.
You can reduce those risks by
telling your doctor if you are, or think you might be, pregnant
whenever an abdominal x-ray is prescribed. If you are pregnant,
the doctor may decide that it would be best to cancel the x-ray
examination, to postpone it, or to modify it to reduce the amount
of radiation. Or, depending no your medical needs, and realizing
that the risk is very small, the doctor may feel that it is best
to proceed with the x-ray as planned. In any case, you should
feel free to discuss the decision with your doctor.
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What Kind of X-Rays Can Affect the Unborn
Child?
During most x-ray examinations - like those
of the arms, legs, head, teeth, or chest - your reproductive organs
are not exposed to the direct x-ray beam. So these kinds of procedures,
when properly done, do not involve any risk to the unborn child.
However, x-rays of the mother's lower torso - abdomen, stomach,
pelvis, lower back, or kidneys - may expose the unborn child to
the direct x-ray beam. They are of more concern.
What Are the Possible Effects of X-Rays?
There is scientific disagreement about whether
the small amounts of radiation used in diagnostic radiology can
actually harm the unborn child, but it is known that the unborn
child is very sensitive to the effects of things like radiation,
certain drugs, excess alcohol, and infection. This is true, in part,
because the cells are rapidly dividing and growing into specialized
cells and tissues. If radiation or other agents were to cause changes
in these cells, there could be a slightly increased chance of birth
defects or certain illnesses, such as leukemia, later in life.
It should be pointed out, however, that the
majority of birth defects and childhood diseases occur even if the
mother is not exposed to any known harmful agent during pregnancy.
Scientists believe that heredity and random errors in the developmental
process are responsible for most of these problems.
What If I'm X-Rayed Before I Know I'm Pregnant?
Don't be alarmed. Remember that the possibility
of any harm to you and your unborn child from an x-ray is very small.
There are, however, rare situations in which a woman who is unaware
of her pregnancy may receive a very large number of abdominal x-rays
over a short period. Or she may receive radiation treatment of the
lower torso. Under these circumstances, the woman should discuss
the possible risks with her doctor.
How You Can Help Minimize the Risks
- Most important, tell your physician
if you are pregnant or think you might be. This is important
for many medical decisions, such as drug prescriptions and nuclear
medicine procedures, as well as x-rays. And remember, this is
true even in the very early weeks of pregnancy.
- Occasionally, a woman may mistake the
symptoms of pregnancy for the symptoms of a disease. If you have
any of the symptoms of pregnancy - nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness,
fatigue - consider whether you might be pregnant and tell your
doctor or x-ray technologist (the person doing the examination)
before having an x-ray of the lower torso. A pregnancy test may
be called for.
- If you are pregnant, or think you might
be, do not hold a child who is being x-rayed. If you are not pregnant
and you are asked to hold a child during an x-ray, be sure to
ask for a lead apron to protect your reproductive organs. This
is to prevent damage to your genes that could be passed on and
cause harmful effects in your future descendants.
- Whenever an x-ray is requested, tell
your doctor about any similar x-rays you have had recently. It
may not be necessary to do another. It is a good idea to keep
a record of the x-ray examinations you and your family
have had taken so you can provide this kind of information accurately.
- Feel free to talk with your doctor about
the need for an x-ray examination. You should understand the reason
x-rays are requested in your particular case.
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Distributed by the Food and Drug Administration,
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American
College of Radiology
Department of Health and Human
Services
Public Health Service
Food and Drug Administration
Rockville, MD 20857
HHS Publication No. (FDA) 94-8087
Updated May 11, 2001 |