Is it possible to do an x-ray when breastfeeding?

It is difficult to find a completely healthy person. From time to time, each of us is exposed to a virus attack. Unhealthy is often associated with sudden problems of digestion. There may be other reasons forcing to go to a hospital. Often, after a visit to the doctor, many patients are referred to x-rays. For most patients, this type of examination questions does not cause, which cannot be said about breastfeeding women. Consider this question in detail, and we will try to answer the question - when it is necessary to carry out an x-ray examination of moms, and when this is not worth doing.

Breastfeeding and X-ray

The majority of young mothers after childbirth, the body is greatly weakened for physiological reasons. And then there is a serious additional burden that requires considerable resources - this is feeding the child.The combination of these and other causes creates a fertile ground for the development of a particular pathology. For example, after childbirth, dental problems often worsen or a woman develops bronchitis. That is, there can be many reasons for setting up this type of survey. Receiving a referral to the appropriate office, a woman, for obvious reasons, wonders how safe this event is for her and her baby. After all, the baby, except mother's milk, still does not receive anything, and the procedure recommended by the doctor may affect its quality.

On this issue, you can immediately give an explanation: if an x-ray examination is necessary for a nursing mom for life reasons, then it must be done. Another situation is when a perfectly healthy woman is advised to undergo this type of diagnosis as part of a follow-up program. In this case, it is better not to be exposed to radiation, and the examination should be postponed for a more favorable time.

According to experts, after such serious diagnostic methods as MRI, CT and X-rays, women are usually recommended to stop breastfeeding for a certain period of time.And such serious changes, of course, will affect the state of the little ones.

Effect of exposure: harm or benefit

Modern medicine has good diagnostic equipment that allows you to minimize all risks to humans. Of course, this condition is feasible if the device is working properly, and the diagnosis is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations. Therefore, most physicians are inclined to believe that examination with x-rays for a nursing woman is not dangerous. It absolutely does not affect the intensity of lactation and the composition of breast milk. In short, the little man does not threaten the procedure recommended by his mother.

When x-rays are needed

Of course, for security reasons, a woman is entitled to refuse this type of examination. But, as noted earlier, sometimes an X-ray diagnosis is necessary for health reasons. A similar situation may arise:

• in case of injury with suspected fracture;
• if there is a prolonged cough that cannot be treated;
• when wheezing is heard in the woman’s lungs, which indicates the development of pneumonia;
• if a cold and ARVI lasts a long time, more than ten days, against the background of non-falling temperature;
• if you suspect sinusitis;
• if gastritis is aggravated, or peptic ulcer.

There are quite a few such cases when it is hardly worth risking your health. But the nursing mother must still rely on the competence of the attending physician. The specialist is primarily interested in making the correct diagnosis and prescribing adequate treatment. If you do not follow his recommendations and refuse to be assigned a survey, life can indeed be at risk.

A completely different situation is when a nursing woman turns to a medical institution to undergo a prophylactic medical examination. Then the appointment of X-ray examination just like that, “just in case,” is unacceptable.

In general, when deciding on the feasibility of a particular type of examination or treatment, one should always compare all the risks and benefits of the event. If we talk about the benefits, then x-ray is a very effective diagnostic method. With it, you can quickly and accurately diagnose. But a minus is that due to the impact of the rays a person still receives a dose of radiation.

How to combine breastfeeding and screening

Today, breastfeeding is actively promoted. After all, mother's milk for a baby is the main source of getting everything necessary for full growth and development. In addition, it is the only source of strengthening the immune forces of a small organism. Therefore, most modern scientists do not see such serious reasons that would serve as a good reason for weaning a child from the maternal breast. They believe that X-rays do not destroy the structure of mother's milk, do not change its composition. Mom after passing the examination can safely continue to feed the baby.

But another group of specialists, including radiologists, still recommend taking certain measures to reduce radiation exposure and not to feed the baby for a period of time. This limitation is relevant in cases where an ionizing effect was carried out on the chest area or during the examination a contrasting composition was used. Here we should emphasize the fact that women are recommended to abstain from breastfeeding from foods containing iodine during breastfeeding. Although the use of contrast substances molecule of iodine enters into a relationship with its base, and as a result of a chemical reaction produces few free ions. This circumstance only indicates that these elements do not pose a threat to the child. In addition, the half-life of iodine ions takes less than an hour, so their presence in breast milk is almost zero.

Important point! After X-ray diagnostics with a contrasting composition, the nursing mother should not put the baby on her breast for 24 hours. This is the opinion of experts, although objectively there is no need to wean a child from even for such a short period.Probably, it’s still better not to risk and heed the advice of professionals.

Preparation for diagnostics

To reduce even the minimal likelihood of a negative impact on the health of the baby, the nursing mom should take note of the following recommendations:

1. It is necessary to agree to conduct an X-ray examination only in case of emergency. To carry out this type of diagnosis for "safety net" and other purposes is an unjustified event.
2. Before the procedure, you should feed the baby well and, if possible, express the milk for several feedings.
3. Since after the birth all women are sent to the chest X-ray, there must be a coupon with a note on the date of the examination. If the year has not yet passed, the nursing mother has the right to refuse X-rays.
4. During the procedure, the assistant is obliged to issue a special protective apron to the woman in the X-ray diagnosis room. If this does not happen, the nursing mother may require that she be provided with the necessary personal protective equipment.

Note! With the introduction of new technologies into the medical field, advanced promising types of research have appeared that allow minimizing all the potential risks. For example, this can be done using a special “E” type film or a digital radiograph. Some types of modern viziografov (used in dentistry) emit at work so meager dose that it is equal to the natural background of radiation.