Lung x-rays during pregnancy

[Steven&Jelena 12]

Hello everyone, I am now almost 23 weeks pregnant and I have appointment for medical exemination in wednesday. When i called to make appointment I let them know that i am pregnant but they told me that does not change anything and i still have to do a lung scaning because everyone have to do it or it won't get visa. They also told me that they will give me to wear a protection jacket. My familly doesn't recoment this to me, and no one doctor recomended me to do this while im pregnant because is riskym but my us fiance is telling me that this is totally safe for baby and prgnat woman do x-rays in America. I searched online about this but... Researches in my country say that mo pregant woman should ever do this because its very dangerous for baby but American researches say totally different- that is safe and lung x-rays wouldn't harm a baby. I have my medical in a few days and i have no much time to think about that and I am very scared . I don't know what to do. Did anyone had this expiriance before - beeing pregnanat during medical? Is there any chance to avoid this? Plz anyone, help....

Edited August 1, 2015 by Steven&Jelena

[Transborderwife 4,666]

It's mandatory. There's no way around it. Yes it carries a risk but you need to choose what's more important. Slight risk, or no visa.

[Pitaya 2,577]

The situation certainly has happened before. There are several forum postings about this very issue, check them out using the forum search function. Additionally, here are some other useful informational links:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/x-ray-during-pregnancy/faq-20058264

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-get-an-x-ray-while-im-pregnant_9214.bc

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/MedicalX-Rays/ucm142632.htm

http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/radiation-and-pregnancy.aspx

HTH

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[Steven&Jelena 12]

It's mandatory. There's no way around it. Yes it carries a risk but you need to choose what's more important. Slight risk, or no visa.

Of course that my baby is more important thats why i want to make sure that she is safe. I don't even know why do we have to do a lung scaning? And even pregnant woman have to do it no mattar what, that is unbelivable!

The situation certainly has happened before. There are several forum postings about this very issue, check them out using the forum search function. Additionally, here are some other useful informational links:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/x-ray-during-pregnancy/faq-20058264

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-get-an-x-ray-while-im-pregnant_9214.bc

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/MedicalX-Rays/ucm142632.htm

http://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/radiation-and-pregnancy.aspx

HTH

Good luck on your immigration journey.

Thank you a lot for those links.

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Of course that my baby is more important thats why i want to make sure that she is safe. I don't even know why do we have to do a lung scaning? And even pregnant woman have to do it no mattar what, that is unbelivable!

Thank you a lot for those links.

It's a slight risk. She should be fine. The X-ray is to check for active TB

[Alaska2012 462]

I was also pregnant when I had my medical done and I didn't do the xray.

In sweden pregnant women and children don't do the xray.

Maybe it depends on where you are from

[Steven&Jelena 12]

I was also pregnant when I had my medical done and I didn't do the xray. In sweden pregnant women and children don't do the xray. Maybe it depends on where you are from

In Serbia pregnant woman don't do it too, only if woman's life is in denger they do. So tell me more about it... You didn't do scaning but did u still have ur interview without lung scaning or no? Did that effected on your visa approval or not?

[Steven&Jelena 12]

It's a slight risk. She should be fine. The X-ray is to check for active TB

Thats what my fiance told me too but it confuse me how american doctors say that is ok and serbian doctors say its not recomended at all, someone have to be wrong, i hope american researches are the right one.

[Alaska2012 462]

I had the medical done. Didn't do the xray. The doctor wrote down why I didn't have the xray done and that was it. It wasn't mentioned at the interview or poe or anywhere else for that matter.

[Steven&Jelena 12]

I had the medical done. Didn't do the xray. The doctor wrote down why I didn't have the xray done and that was it. It wasn't mentioned at the interview or poe or anywhere else for that matter.

That is very good. When did you have your medical done? Was it recent?

[Alaska2012 462]

It was in 2012

[Steven&Jelena 12]

It was in 2012

Ok, thank you for this information. Maybe i can do the same.

[TRUSTNOONE 8]

Thats what my fiance told me too but it confuse me how american doctors say that is ok and serbian doctors say its not recomended at all, someone have to be wrong, i hope american researches are the right one.

Lots of countries have different ideas about what is ok or not. In America we tell pregnant women not to drink alcohol, in France they say it is okay during a certain portion of the pregnancy.

Obviously the health of your baby is very important however I would like to say (as have a couple relatives who work in radiology). There is always a slight risk but it is very slight and they do use a lead "vest" to help protect you. We should actually ALL REQUEST ONE whether we are pregnant or not and cover our reproductive organs when x-raying other body parts as a precaution (as I have family members who work in radiology I have been doing this my whole life as per their recommendation).

NHS (British) article on the matter

We are also exposed to radiation when we fly etc...

[TBoneTX 45,304]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the Embassy/Consulate forum -- topic involves the medical phase. ***

[Karmalious 50]

To answer your question:

1. Women do receive Xrays all the time in the United States

2. Almost all facilities will use a lead-jacket. This lead apron is laid over the stomach area to protect your unborn child

( Lead completely blocks xrays, just for your information )

3. Even without a lead apron, your child likely would not have any severe issues from it. Like you may already know though: xray is a form of radiation. And the more exposure to radiation that anyone has = higher risk of health related disease.

I would also like to quote one of the sources below:

1. Women should be counseled that X-ray exposure from a single diagnostic procedure does not result in harmful fetal effects. Specifically, exposure to less than 5 rad has not been associated with an increase in fetal anomalies or pregnancy loss.

MSV = millisievert ( the measurement of a radiation dose )

Xray = typically around 5MsV

Computer tomography scans = about 10-12MsV

The average amount of MsV exposure from breathing air over the course of 1 year: 2.28MsV

SOURCES:

* Types of Background radiation we are exposed to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Background_radiation

* I'm also a nurse.

*An official medical source: "Guidelines for diagnostic imaging during pregnancy"

http://www.acog.org/Resources-And-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Guidelines-for-Diagnostic-Imaging-During-Pregnancy

Edited August 2, 2015 by Karmalious