Risk of ionizing radiation in pregnancy: just a myth or a real concern?

Abstract

There are natural concerns regarding the risks posed to the foetus by ionizing radiation exposure during pregnancy. Therefore, many female physicians select to avoid working in an environment associated with ionizing radiation exposure like the catheterization laboratory and even exclude training as electrophysiology, interventional cardiologists, or radiologists. For those already working in this field, pregnancy involves usually a 1-year interruption (pregnancy and maternity leave) to their careers, leading at times to delays in the decision to become pregnant. This review describes the low added risk of malformation/cancer in the offspring, highlight gaps in our understanding, discuss several common wrong beliefs, and recommend how to further decrease radiation dose, especially during pregnancy.

Keywords: Angiography; Cardiology; Pregnancy; Radiation hazards; Women.