What You Should Know About CT Scans and Pregnancy

As doulas and wellness professionals, our role is to help clients feel informed, empowered, and confident in every step of their care.

A new study out of Canada is shedding light on something important for anyone trying to conceive or already pregnant — the possible risks linked to CT scans.

Researchers looked at more than 5 million pregnancies and found that women who had a CT scan within a month before conception had about an 8% higher risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancy. The study also showed that CT scans during pregnancy increased the chance of congenital abnormalities by 6% after one scan, 11% after two, and 15% after three.

Now, CT scans are often ordered when there’s a serious concern, so this doesn’t mean they should never be done. But it does remind us that asking questions and exploring alternatives matters.

MRIs and ultrasounds can often provide the same helpful information without the same level of radiation exposure — and, for now, research suggests they don’t carry these same risks.

If you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or supporting clients who are, encourage open conversations with care providers. Sometimes, advocating for an ultrasound or MRI instead of a CT can be a small but powerful way to support both safety and peace of mind.

Source: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-24-03479