CT Scans During Pregnancy Can Expose Fetuses To Excess Radiation

In the last 21 years, the use of computed tomography (CT) scans during pregnancy has increased. A study says that CT scans of pregnant women put the mother and unborn child at risk of serious health conditions.

According to research, after 1996, the number of CT scans done to test expecting mothers has raised quadruple in the U.S.

A researcher says that the CT scan can expose high doses of ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen, which can cause birth defects, developmental delays, and cancer risk.

The data of 2.2 million pregnant women, who had 3.5 million live births in the U.S. and Canada between 1996 and 2016 was observed. That includes various tests like CT scans, radiography, angiography/fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine, and MRI.

The study revealed that in that 21-year period, CT scans were used in nearly 1% of all U.S. pregnancies. During this period, the use of CT scans had grown.

The use of CT scan began to decrease from 2010.