Can I do CT scan while pregnant?

During pregnancy, you need to do a series of prenatal examinations. However, many people believe that examination equipment all have radiation, and if the examination is carried out, it will have a certain impact on the pregnant woman's body. For example, the more common CT scan is something that many pregnant women are reluctant to do. In fact, during the early pregnancy period, examinations that involve radiation, such as X-rays and CT scans, should be avoided if possible. In addition, various examinations such as B-ultrasound should be done as little as possible.

1. X-rays and CT scans both have radiation, so they should not be done during early pregnancy

Under normal circumstances, pregnant mothers should avoid any radioactive examinations such as X-rays or CT scans, especially chest X-rays, which must be avoided. (The radiation dose of a chest X-ray is approximately 0.60-4.85msv, which is much greater than a chest X-ray examination). Women should avoid this examination, especially in the first three months of pregnancy. After 28 weeks of pregnancy, no radiological examinations should be performed unless there are high-risk conditions for the mother or fetus.

If there is a life-threatening situation and an X-ray is necessary, the pregnant mother should take an extra layer of protection, such as wearing a lead suit around the abdomen and controlling the time of the examination. . The impact of X-rays on the fetus is mainly related to the dose and location of irradiation. For example, irradiating the chest, limbs and other parts far away from the fetus has much less impact than irradiating the abdomen, pelvis and other parts close to the fetus. Wearing lead suits on key parts of the body can prevent radiation from passing through and, to a certain extent, reduce the amount of radiation.

For the same part, the radiation amount of CT scan is almost the same as that of taking 10 X-rays. Therefore, CT should be avoided even more. The general principle remains: do it only if it is life-threatening and unavoidable.

2. B-ultrasound is the safest, but there is no need to do it too often

Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging technique that is considered safe throughout pregnancy and is the preferred method for imaging examinations during pregnancy. But when it comes to the output of a certain type of energy, more is not necessarily better, and there is no need to do too much. Generally, a healthy and normal pregnant woman should not undergo more than 5 ultrasound examinations during the entire pregnancy.

The doctor said that if the pregnant woman has a history of adverse pregnancy, vaginal bleeding, complications, high-risk pregnancy, twin pregnancy, or encounters fetal growth restriction, fetal intrauterine hypoxia, fetal deformation, too much or too little amniotic fluid, etc., the frequency of ultrasound examinations should be increased according to the doctor's advice.

3. Reduce various examinations during pregnancy and check more before pregnancy

There are many diseases that are more likely to occur during pregnancy. In order to avoid the occurrence of these diseases, pregnant mothers should check them early before pregnancy and when preparing for pregnancy. For example, oral diseases. Due to endocrine changes during pregnancy, coupled with the fact that pregnant women eat a lot and tend to neglect oral hygiene, they are prone to periodontitis, tooth decay and other problems. Therefore, it is best for female friends to have a more comprehensive oral examination before preparing for pregnancy. Any dental problems should be treated before pregnancy, including taking radioactive dental X-rays, etc., to reduce the trouble of needing to confirm oral problems after pregnancy but not being able to take dental X-rays.

Pregnant mothers who usually have poor gastrointestinal function should also control these diseases before preparing for pregnancy to avoid aggravation during pregnancy. Gastroscopy and colonoscopy are methods of diagnosis and treatment. Relevant examinations and treatments can be done before pregnancy to prevent gastrointestinal diseases from being aggravated by pregnancy. In addition, because gastroscopy and colonoscopy require intubation or anesthesia, it is generally recommended to avoid such examinations during pregnancy. Gastrointestinal diseases can only be treated conservatively, which may affect nutrition throughout the pregnancy and the growth of the baby.