At what age /stage of pregnancy can a pregnant woman do a CHEST x-ray without affecting the foetus?

Answer 1

You can't at any stage.
As far as I know.

Answer 2

The rule is with pregnancy, avoid all drugs, medications and invasive procedures such as dental work & xrays UNLESS it is medically necessary. So if your doctor needs to rule out something important like pneumonia, pneumothorax or lung cancer, a chest x-ray may need to be done.

You can get scans even in early pregnancy, however the risk to the fetus is greater then as the bones and structures are forming. Second trimester is much better, third trimester better still. One or two xrays will not hurt the baby as long as precautions are taken, such as putting a double apron on during the xrays. They always try and cover up the trunk of the body, also the radiation dosage that they use is generally a very small amount.

Answer 3

The websites I have provided have questions with answers by qualified medical personnel. Here are some examples:

"X rays of the chest result in minimal, if any, exposure to the unborn child because the x-ray beam is directed only at the chest region. Little, if any, radiation exposes the abdominal area. Health risks to the unborn child because of x-ray exposure in your case should not be a cause of alarm or concern."

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q564.html

"Radiation dose to the embryo from a chest x ray, using modern technology, is extremely small. It is, in fact, too small to measure with most instruments. It is certainly no more than the dose received in a couple of days from unavoidable naturally occurring environmental radiation (commonly called background). Although no one can state unequivocally that there is no possibility of ill effects from this small dose, the probability of such effects is extremely remote. Every person gets the natural environmental radiation dose every day."

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q1494.html

Answer 4

When I was pregnant with my twins I needed a chest x-ray. I was admitted into hospital at 29 weeks with pre eclampsia and a really bad cough. I could not get an x-ray until I had delivered the twins at 32 weeks. Turns out I had so much water retained in my body because of the pre eclamsia it was going into my lungs because there was nowhere else for it to go! So the answer to your question... not until you have had the baby!

Answer 5

Question: Is it safe to get an X-ray?

Answer: It depends on the type of X-ray you need and exactly how much radiation you're going to be exposed to. The greater your exposure to radiation, the greater the risk to your baby. Most diagnostic X-rays (dental X-rays, for example) do not expose the fetus to high enough levels of radiation to cause a problem. While fetal exposure over 10 rads (the unit of measurement for absorbed radiation) has been shown to increase the risks for mental retardation and eye abnormalities, you needn't worry. It's rare for a diagnostic X-ray to exceed 5 rads.


(THE ARTICLE CONTINUES.....TOO LONG TO PASTE HERE. HTH!!)

Answer 6

only towards the back end. in the days before sonar scanners pregnant women were sometimes xrayed to determine the size of the babies skull and spine to determine vairous things. the mum was strapped down to the xray table across the middle to stop the fetus from moving.the sonar scan is a safer technique

Answer 7

Jeez, yes you can get a chest x-ray during pregnancy. I had 2 of them for severe bronchitis when I was 3 months along. They have lead shields to cover your belly. My daughter was born normal as can be.

Answer 8

try the site below seems to have alot of information about x-rays during pregnancy.... I had an x-ray on my hand and I didn't know I was pregnant and everything was fine .... good luck

Answer 9

X-rays are a type of severe power radiation that, reckoning on the dose, can decrease cellular branch, damage genetic textile, and convey defects in unborn toddlers. Cells that divide right now are maximum gentle to x-ray publicity. Unborn toddlers are really gentle to x-rays because their cells are right now dividing and arising into sorts of tissue. publicity of pregnant women to sufficient doses of x-rays could probably outcome in miscarriage or damage to unborn toddlers, including malformations or progression of maximum cancers later in existence. With maximum x-ray techniques, extremely low ranges of radiation are produced. even with the undeniable fact that, as a secure practices precaution, using x-rays in pregnant women could be prevented except surely mandatory. women who receive x-rays formerly realising they're pregnant could talk to their docs.

Answer 10

It depends on why you need the xray. Doctors don't like to hit you with radiation while you are pregnant but they will if the circumstances demand it. Obviously dental xrays are not neccessary.

I had an xray of my abdomen when I had kidney stones while five months pregnant.

Answer 11

If you need a chest x-ray then the technition will cover your baby with a lead sheild. The chances of your baby being affected are very very small.


Good luck!

PS Answerers: If you don't know what you are talking about, then don't answer! Sheeeeeeesh!