Question:medium
A 7-week pregnant woman has a single accidental exposure to a diagnostic x-ray. Which of the following should be done?
A 7-week pregnant woman has a single accidental exposure to a diagnostic x-ray. Which of the following should be done?
Show Hint
One diagnostic film is far below the first-trimester dose that worries us.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Continue pregnancy
- Terminate pregnancy
- Chromosome analysis
- Pre-invasive diagnostic testing
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Dose thinking: the harm from radiation in pregnancy is dose dependent, and a single diagnostic x-ray gives only a few millirad, nowhere near a teratogenic level.
The thresholds to remember: worry and counselling about termination begin only above 5 rad in the first trimester, or above 15 rad in the second and third trimesters. One ordinary radiograph sits far below 5 rad.
Why the other options are wrong: terminating the pregnancy (option 2) over a trivial dose is unjustified. Chromosome analysis (option 3) and pre-invasive diagnostic testing (option 4) target genetic or structural concerns and have no role here because a low-dose x-ray does not create such an indication.
So you reassure the patient and continue the pregnancy. Ref: Williams Obstetrics; Dutta Obstetrics.
The thresholds to remember: worry and counselling about termination begin only above 5 rad in the first trimester, or above 15 rad in the second and third trimesters. One ordinary radiograph sits far below 5 rad.
Why the other options are wrong: terminating the pregnancy (option 2) over a trivial dose is unjustified. Chromosome analysis (option 3) and pre-invasive diagnostic testing (option 4) target genetic or structural concerns and have no role here because a low-dose x-ray does not create such an indication.
So you reassure the patient and continue the pregnancy. Ref: Williams Obstetrics; Dutta Obstetrics.
Was this answer helpful?
0
