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This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Pregnancy week by week. Products and services. Is it safe to have an X-ray during pregnancy? Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. 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. 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. 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. X-ray examinations on the arms, legs, or chest do not expose your reproductive organs to the direct beam. However, x-rays of the torso, such as the abdomen, stomach, pelvis, lower back, and kidneys, have a greater chance of exposure to the uterus.
It is always important to let your healthcare provider know you are pregnant if you might need an x-ray. According to the American College of Radiology, no single diagnostic x-ray has a radiation dose significant enough to cause adverse effects in a developing embryo or fetus.
Cunningham, F. Gary, et al, Ch. X-Rays During Pregnancy. Is it safe to receive X-rays while pregnant? Are all X-rays safe while pregnant? Chester County Hospital's Health e-Living Blog offers a regular serving of useful health and lifestyle information for the residents of Chester County, PA and the surrounding region.
Health e-Living Blog. You've heard the hoopla about radiation and safety risks. And you've heard even more hoopla about risks of radiation while pregnant, such as babies being born with autism or having an increased risk of developing cancer. So, if you're pregnant, and you find out that you may need a radiology test - an imaging test that allows providers to see inside your body and how it functions - it's natural to be a little hesitant.
Magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans are known to be on the safer side. They don't use ionizing radiation and haven't been shown to harm a fetus. Even though MRIs are not considered risky, organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still recommend using them sparingly, and only when medically necessary.
There's always the possibility that research could identify harmful effects in the future. X-rays are the most commonly used imaging tests when someone is not pregnant.
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