This sheet is about taking X-rays while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This information is based on available published research. It should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider.
What are X-rays?
X-rays are a form of energy known as ionizing radiation. X-rays have enough energy to pass through the body. As the X-ray beam moves through the body, it passes differently through bones, tissues and organs. This makes it possible to create an image of the body’s interior. These images are used to guide medical treatment.
If you have an X-ray, it will be done with a standard X-ray machine or with a CT (computed tomography) machine. X-ray and CT machines only produce radiation when they are switched on and actively in use. X-rays will lose energy as they travel through an object. X-rays will not make your body radioactive.
This sheet will focus on getting diagnostic x-rays taken as a patient. For people who work around x-ray machines, MotherToBaby has a fact sheet on https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/ionizing-radiation-workplace-pregnancy/.
What is radiation?
Radiation is a type of energy. Radiation waves cannot be seen, felt or smelled. Radiation comes from our natural environment (called background radiation) and can be produced by machines.
Radiation is divided into 2 categories: 1) non-ionizing radiation and 2) ionizing radiation.
- Non-ionizing radiation has lower energy than ionizing radiation. Non-ionizing radiation includes radio waves, microwaves, and lower-energy ultraviolet (UV) sunlight. Common sources of non-ionizing radiation include light bulbs, computers, Wi-Fi routers, cell phones, Bluetooth devices, FM radio, GPS, body scanning devices at airports, and broadcast television.
- Ionizing radiation refers to X-rays, gamma rays, and some of the higher ultraviolet (UV) sunlight spectrum. A small amount of ionizing radiation is used to make X-rays. Higher doses of ionizing radiation are used to kill cancer cells with cancer radiotherapy. Gamma radiation has also been used in medical treatments.
Can I be exposed to ionizing radiation if I go through airport security body scanners?
In the United States, airport body scanning devices do not use ionizing radiation. These machines use millimeter wave technology to scan a person’s body. Millimeter wave technology is non-ionizing radiation in the form of low-level radio waves. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can use body scanners at airports.
How is the dose of ionizing radiation measured? For example, what is milli-sievert (mSV) or milli-rem (mrem)?
Radiation is measured in several different ways. The international unit of measurement for radiation dose is the milli-sievert (mSv), and in the US you may also read or hear about “milli-rem”.
1 milli-sievert (mSV) is approximately the same as 100 milli-rem (mrem).
Humans are surrounded by ionizing radiation every day. Ionizing radiation is in our soil, water and air. These sources of radiation are called background radiation. Most people are exposed to about 3 mSv (300 mrem) of background radiation each year. During pregnancy, the fetus is exposed to about 1 mSV of background radiation (about 100 mrem).
What is the effective dose of ionizing radiation for me from a diagnostic X-ray?
This depends on which part of the body is being x-rayed. The table below shows the average estimated dose after an X-ray. These doses have not been associated with increased risks for pregnancy.
| X-ray | Effective dose i mSv | Effective dose i Mr |
| Abdomen | 0.6 | 60 |
| Breast | 0.1 | 10 |
| Dental bidewing | 0.005 | 0.5 |
| Dental panoramic view | 0.026 | 2.6 |
| DEXA (whole body) | 0.001 | 0.1 |
| Mammogram (4 views) | 0.7 | 70 |
| pelvis / hip | 0.4 | 40 |
What is the effective dose of ionizing radiation to my fetus if I had a diagnostic X-ray?
When an X-ray is taken, the actual dose to the embryo/fetus is less than the dose indicated in the table above. This is because some of the X-ray image is absorbed by the parents’ body before it reaches the inside of the uterus (where the fetus is developing). In typical diagnostic x-rays of the parent, a fetus would not be expected to be exposed to levels that could cause pregnancy complications.
I had x-rays taken. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?
If a woman has had X-rays, it is not expected to make it more difficult for her to become pregnant.
Does having an X-ray increase the chance of miscarriage?
Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Having typical diagnostic x-rays will not increase the chance of miscarriage.
Women with exposure to X-ray doses greater than 50 mSv (5,000 mrem) in the first 2 weeks after conception, which is the time before the egg implants in the uterus, may have a greater chance of miscarriage. This dose is much higher than the dose from a typical diagnostic X-ray.
Will x-rays increase the chance of birth defects?
Having a typical diagnostic X-ray will not increase the chance of birth defects. Birth defects can occur in any pregnancy for a variety of reasons. Of all babies born each year, about 3 in 100 (3%) will have a birth defect. We look at research studies to try to understand if an exposure can increase the chance of birth defects in a pregnancy. X-ray exposure of less than 50 mSv (5,000 mrem) has not been linked to an increased chance of birth defects.
Does getting an X-ray increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?
Typical diagnostic X-ray exposure during pregnancy is not expected to increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems, such as preterm birth (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces) [2500 grams] at birth). Exposure to high doses (around 250 mSv (25,000 mrem)) of ionizing radiation can increase the chance of having a baby with a small head size or poor growth. It would be rare for a person to have an exposure that high.
Does getting an X-ray affect the child’s future behavior or learning?
Typical diagnostic X-ray exposure during pregnancy is not expected to increase the chance of learning disabilities or behavioral disorders in the child. Exposure to high doses (more than 500 mSv or more than 50,000 mrem) of ionizing radiation during pregnancy can increase the chance of learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities. In addition, exposure to more than 100 mSV (10,000 mrem) radiation between the 8.th week and the 15thth week of pregnancy may be associated with learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities. It would be rare for a person to have an exposure that high.
Breastfeeding after X-ray:
Exposure to diagnostic X-rays occurs only when an X-ray is taken and leaves no radiation or radioactivity in the body or milk. Diagnostic X-rays do not affect breast milk at the time of a procedure and are not expected to affect milk production. Be sure to talk to your health care provider about all your breastfeeding questions.
If a man gets an X-ray, can it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?
Several studies have not found a link between diagnostic X-ray exposure and lower fertility (the ability to make a woman pregnant), birth defects. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase the risk of a pregnancy. For general information, please refer to the MotherToBaby fact sheet Paternal Exposures https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/.
Where can I look for more information?
Please click here for references.
