Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life. The expectant mother should carefully monitor her health, eat properly and eliminate all adverse factors that can negatively affect the baby. One of them is radiation. Some women turn to the gynecologist with the question: "I did fluorography, not knowing that I was pregnant." Opinions of medical specialists will be considered below.
What it is?
For many reasons, a doctor may prescribe a similar procedure if the woman did not know that she was pregnant. Fluorography is a type of diagnosis that is performed using x-rays. Translucent fabrics, creates a shadow image on the film. The fluorography dose is less than the x-ray. Although this figure largely depends on the equipment itself. Modern equipment allows you to achieve higher quality images with less exposure.
Fluorography is performed to examine the lungs for the presence of various diseases. Using this technique, it is also possible to identify pathologies of the heart, tumor processes, infections and inflammations, and structural changes in the chest organs.
In some cases, fluorography is used to clarify the diagnosis obtained by ultrasound. So, using this technique, you can determine the presence of bronchitis, pathology of the heart, tuberculosis, a tumor in the lungs, adhesions in the pleural cavity. In addition, the image will show the effects of spinal injuries in the thoracic region or ribs.
Features of the procedure
If fluorography is done pregnant, this causes unreasonable fears. The fact is that x-rays can cause significant harm to the fetus. This type of radiation especially affects growing cells. Since the fetus consists of cells that divide at a high speed, they are more likely to be adversely affected.
However, it is worth considering that the exposure when using different equipment will be different. There are more and less dangerous ways to get tested. New equipment has a minimal radioactive effect on the human body.
It is worth noting that in one procedure, a conventional film fluorographic apparatus irradiates the body with 0.5 mSv. Of these, 0.3 mSv falls on the studied zone. For comparison, in the process of computed tomography, a person receives a radiation dose of 5-7 mSv.
Modern equipment allows you to undergo the procedure with minimal risk to health. Digital fluorography is by far the safest type of examination using x-rays. In one procedure, the human body receives only 0.05 mSv. In pregnancy, such a dose of radiation is considered relatively safe.
The opinion of doctors
If a woman did fluorography, did not know that she was pregnant, this poses a potential threat to the fetus. In the early stages, it has virtually no protection against adverse external factors. In the first trimester, all body systems are laid. Therefore, it is at an early stage that such a procedure can be dangerous.
Doctors agree that it is impossible to prescribe a fluorography to a pregnant woman before the term of 20 weeks. X-rays can adversely affect the processes of fetal development. Only in case of emergency and at a later date, the doctor can prescribe a similar diagnostic method.
Most of all, X-rays damage cells that are at the stage of division, acting on the gene apparatus. Because of this, chromosomal abnormalities can develop. DNA chains are torn and deformed due to this. Water in the cells is partially ionized, which leads to the appearance of a large number of radicals. They have high chemical activity. Such structures strike nucleic acids, cell proteins. They are torn into separate parts. Cells in this case either die or mutate.
Risk factors
If a woman did not know that she was pregnant, underwent fluorography at an early stage, this can lead to consequences, serious or not very. Often there are no consequences at all. This is influenced by the radiation dose, the state of the pregnant woman, and the features of the course of intrauterine development.
A woman who has undergone a similar procedure may well give birth to a healthy baby (which happens in most cases). But with a hereditary predisposition to the development of congenital anomalies, the risk of an adverse outcome increases markedly. A risk factor is also considered the age of parents older than 35 years.
Effects
In medical practice, there are frequent cases when a woman has done fluorography, not knowing that she is pregnant. The negative consequences may be as follows:
- Abortion. In the early stages, a miscarriage more often occurs. The fetal egg is still not firmly fixed in the uterine wall. Nature provides a mechanism by which a mutated organism or having many damaged cells dies. The result is a miscarriage.
- Frozen pregnancy. A damaged fetus dies, stops developing.
- Congenital pathology. As a result, some organs and systems will not be able to form correctly. Most often these are minor deviations that are easy to correct after birth. Serious deviations will reduce the quality of life of the baby.
- Oncological diseases. For an adult, the radiation dose is minimal, but for the fetus it is huge. Most often, the lymphatic and circulatory system suffer.
What to do in this case?
Not always a woman immediately learns about the development of a new life in her stomach. Therefore, a situation may occur when a pregnant woman has done fluorography. What to do in this case? It is necessary as soon as possible to register with the gynecologist, explaining the situation to the doctor.
It is necessary to provide information on which apparatus fluorography was done. You also need to take a certificate about what dose of radiation is used for such an examination. After receiving the necessary information, the gynecologist will prescribe an ultrasound scan. This will make sure that everything is in order with the embryo. If in doubt, consultation with a geneticist may be required. It will take an ultrasound at 11 and 16 weeks of gestation.
Do not worry in advance. Modern equipment emits a minimal dose of x-rays. According to reviews, in most cases, women who underwent early x-ray, gave birth to healthy children. There is a likelihood of an adverse outcome, but more often than not, everything ends happily.
When is an early procedure indicated?
In some cases, it is required that the pregnant woman undergo fluorography. In this case, the risk to her health is higher than the harm to the fetus. There are several exceptional cases when the doctor prescribes an X-ray examination for a woman carrying a child:
- She has a progressive disease that cannot be diagnosed or monitored in any other way. Such ailments include tuberculosis, oncology in the chest organs, acute pneumonia.
- The pregnant woman had close contact with people infected with tuberculosis.
- My husband was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
- People infected with tuberculosis live in the same apartment as the pregnant woman.
Without prior consultation with a gynecologist, self-recording on fluorography is strictly prohibited.
How to protect yourself?
If a woman has done fluorography, not knowing that she is pregnant, this can lead to adverse consequences. In order to protect yourself, not to worry about the future fate of your unborn child, you need to undergo a fluorographic examination before conception. Pregnancy needs to be planned, so you need to go through a diagnosis with your partner.
If the conception was unplanned, unforeseen difficulties may arise. If there are indications for undergoing fluorography at an early date, this procedure will be prescribed to the woman. If she does not agree to undergo such an examination, the pregnant woman may write a refusal. But at the same time, the doctor will definitely inform her about the possible consequences of such an action.
If you still need to go through the procedure, you should contact the clinic where digital fluorography is performed. Also, the area of the uterus is protected by a lead apron.
Alternative
Considering a situation in which a woman has done fluorography, not knowing that she is pregnant, it is worth considering another point. It is almost impossible to replace such a procedure with another examination. You can conduct other diagnostic procedures. But if they partially confirm the diagnosis, only fluorography can finally make it.