How long after taking a chest X-ray can I get pregnant?

We all know that the main purpose of taking a chest X-ray is to allow the radiation to penetrate the human body and present an image of the inside of the body. The doctor then diagnoses the disease based on this image. It can be said that chest X-rays have a wide range of clinical uses and are highly reliable. However, taking a chest X-ray also has certain hazards, after all, it is radiation exposure, especially for women who are preparing for pregnancy, so how long after taking a chest X-ray can you get pregnant?

If you just take a chest X-ray, you can usually plan your pregnancy in the second month and it won't have any impact. Generally, radiation has a certain impact on the embryo of early pregnancy. If you are not pregnant yet, you don’t have to worry. It is generally not a problem before the gestational sac is formed. If you are planning to get pregnant now, you can take folic acid tablets orally to prevent fetal neural tube defects.

Will X-rays really affect the fetus if you are exposed to them during pregnancy? Are diagnostic X-rays dangerous?

Diagnostic X-ray examination is what we usually call X-ray examination. Its radiation dose is very low, much lower than the therapeutic radiation dose. The therapeutic radiation dose is not within the scope of discussion in this article. According to the clinical guidelines of the American College of Radiology, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, routine diagnostic oral, head, limb, chest (including breast mammography), and abdominal X-rays will not cause damage to the embryo, and if there is any, the risk is very, very low.

The American College of Radiology clearly states that the radiation dose from a single diagnostic X-ray examination does not reach the dose that can cause harm to the embryo or fetus. If you need to have an abdominal X-ray during pregnancy due to illness or other problems, don't refuse the examination because you are worried that the X-ray will harm the fetus. Failure to undergo necessary X-ray examinations will pose real health risks to pregnant women and fetuses.