? Today, the strongest radiation most pregnant women can be exposed to is medical tests and treatments. Can I have medical tests while pregnant or breastfeeding? What should I do if I realize I'm pregnant after the test?
The tests that can be done with confidence are these: measurement of blood pressure, tests that draw blood, electrocardiograms, and most of the tests that are done by touching and observing with the naked eye have no risk of radioactivity.
It is important to note that the main tests that can be radioactive are imaging tests, including ultrasound, X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic **** vibration (MR) imaging, and nuclear medicine (NM) imaging.
Ultrasound utilizes sound waves and carries no radiation risk. Routine obstetric tests such as listening to the fetal heart, fetal measurements and screening for malformations are all ultrasound tests. There are no known adverse effects of ultrasound on the fetus or pregnant women.
? However, there are theoretical risks associated with sonograms, and it is not recommended to take commercial photographs or videos of the fetus at a non-medical facility,nor is it recommended to purchase fetal heart rate monitoring equipment to listen to the fetus at home. The first thing you need to do is to listen to the fetal heartbeat at home. On the one hand, the sound intensity and duration of operation may exceed safe values, which may be harmful to the fetus, and on the other hand, the measurement may be incorrect.
X-rays are commonly used, for example, to take a chest X-ray or to rule out a fracture after a fall. The effects depend on the gestational age and the dose of radiation.
A single X-ray is usually not harmful to the fetus, but multiple high-dose exams can lead to embryonic death, congenital malformations, growth restriction, and mental defects.
CT radiation is stronger than X-rays, but a single test has a smaller effect,and if your doctor weighs the pros and cons and decides that a CT test is necessary, you don't need to refuse it because you're pregnant.
Nuclear medicine imaging is the use of specific imaging agents to diagnose diseases, such as myocardial perfusion imaging used to understand the blood supply of the myocardium is nuclear medicine imaging.
Nuclear medicine uses radioisotopes and therefore radiation, and the specific effects on the fetus depend on the type of radioisotope used. Tc, which is commonly used, emits very little radiation and is safe to use during pregnancy. However, radioactive iodine should not be used in pregnant women because the fetal thyroid can be damaged.