X-ray exposure

[NicEd]

Hi guys,

I’ve recently found out I’m pregnant (currently 5 weeks). My son was in hospital recently with pneumonia so he had X-rays of his chest. I escorted him to the X-ray and they asked if there was a chance I could be pregnant, my response was “there’s always a chance”, they ignored it and carried on. As he is only 2 they had him sitting up in the bed with the head of the bed up and the X-ray board behind his back. They had me holding his arms from behind the bed. Only 2 days prior unbeknownst to me, I had conceived (I.e we had done the deed).

Now very worried about the exposure! Anyone able to ease my mind in any way?

Yes - Radiographer here. The amount of radiation you would have received is negligible to nil. Did they get you to wear a lead gown? They don’t appear to have been very professional and many departments wouldn’t have let you hold your DS if there was a chance of you being pregnant but to be honest it’s to avoid a situation like this. ( anxiety rather than risk). The amount of radiation used for a chest X-ray is very small and for a 2 yr old is absolutely tiny. If you do continue to worry, contact the department, their medical physicist will be able to make a calculation of any radiation received and be able to reassure you further. Good luck with your pregnancy and I hope that your son is fully recovered x

I am a medical physicist and can reassure you that a chest xray for a child is the lowest possible amount of radiation we can deliver to get an image. I would have expected you to be wearing some shielding if you were directly behind him, but even if you didn’t the dose to you would be tiny, and not of concern to baby given your timings. If the worry is getting to you I echo the comments from the radiographer above, please get in contact with the imaging department and one of their physicists can reassure you. You did the right thing going in and looking after your 2 year old. He needed his mummy.

Thank you to you both

Rereading my message I should add that I meant they didn’t seem very professional in their questioning and not being clear in their advice and information given to you; their practice was fine.

I know nothing about the professional medical side but conception isn’t when you dtd it’s when the egg is fertilised which isn’t until up to 24 hours after ovulation. Then implantation isn’t until at least 6 days after ovulation so you wouldn’t have been pregnant 2 days after having sex even if you had sex on ovulation day as not yet implanted 😊