Having an X-ray when you are pregnant

The immigration authorities require that all adult applicants, without exception, have a chest X-ray at some stage. This is a part of the tuberculosis control program. If you are pregnant and are concerned about having an X-ray, you have a few options:

• You can choose to have the X-ray now. Chest X-rays are now regarded as safe in pregnancy because of the minimal radiation dose used in modern equipment. Some clinics still use a protective shield to cover your abdomen. Even that is now deemed unnecessary, according to the latest recommendations: Gonadal-and-Fetal-Shielding_CAMRT-Position.pdf
  
  
• You can do the other parts of your medical examination now and return for the X-ray after the birth of your baby. However, your medical report will not be completed until the X-ray examination is done.
  
  
• You can choose to postpone the whole examination until after the birth of your baby.

For some perspective, the typical radiation dose from a chest X-ray is 0.1mSv and the amount of background radiation that we absorb just by living in Vancouver is 1.4mSv per year. Some cities have much more, for example in Winnipeg it is 4.1mSv per year and in Denver 11.8mSv per year.

The world record holder in background radiation is Ramzar, Iran, with 260mSv per year. Yet, studies have found that incidence of birth defects in Ramzar is not higher than anywhere else, despite absobing the equivalent of 2,600 chest X-rays per year.

Background radiation consists of cosmic radiation, ground radiation, radiation from inhaled and ingested radioactive traces and self-radiation from radioactive isotopes normally present in living organisms.