Getting X-Rays While Pregnant

If you are a female who has gotten an x-ray while of age to have children, you probably had to sign a form and verbally acknowledge that you were not pregnant at the time of your x-ray. However, if you are pregnant and absolutely must get an x-ray, how will it affect you and your baby?

X-rays and other types of diagnostic imaging tests emit radiation level measured in rads. Studies have shown that exposure to 10 rads or more can cause deformity in babies. Of course, there are a number of other factors that can cause your unborn child to have a deformity, but you can decrease this risk by not exposing the fetus to more than 10 rads.

Consequences of Radiation Exposure

Radiation exposure can cause damages such as mental retardation and eye defects. However, x-rays are not the only way that your baby can absorb radiation. A fetus already gets an average of 90 to 100 millirads of radiation from sunlight during the nine months of the pregnancy. On the other hand, most x-rays provide much less radiation. A dental x-ray is only .01 millirads.

Additionally, a doctor or x-ray technician can drape a pregnant mother in a lead-lined apron or other protective device to shield the baby from the x-ray’s penetration. Of course, many doctors recommend a woman wait until after delivery to get an x-ray, just in case. However, in some circumstances, an x-ray can be necessary to diagnose a mother and keep her healthy-thus keeping her baby healthy as well.

Contact Us

High amounts of radiation can be very harmful to a fetus. If you believe that your doctor has exposed your baby to radiation without your consent or without good cause, leading to health problems in the child, this may qualify as medical malpractice. To learn more, contact the Philadelphia birth injury lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., at 215-238-1130.