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20 July 2008

Answer to Question #360 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Pregnancy and Radiation — Exposures not directly to embryo/fetus

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

I am 32 weeks pregnant and have had about 10 dental x-ray exposures since week 24 of pregnancy. Does this represent any risk for the baby? Is there a limit of exposures during pregnancy?

This is a good question and one that often comes up for a mother but rarely gets asked. I think you’ll be glad to know there is no cause for concern. Dental x rays, as with most x rays, are taken with the machine focused right on the area where the x rays need to go. Because of this there is virtually no exposure to anything other than the item of interest (in this case, a tooth or teeth). While dental x rays would not expose your baby, there could be exposure of the baby if you had abdominal or pelvic x rays. In case you’re interested, after week 20 the baby is fairly insensitive to radiation exposure—relative to the first 12 weeks of gestation. So, there are two things working in your favor! Thank you for the question.

Kelly Classic
Certified Medical Health Physicist

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