Dental X-Rays Might Lead to Small Babies (and pictures from DisneyWorld and Miami vacation)

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@EARTHLINK.NET>]

Note: Pictures from recent trip back home, and to Disney World):

http://sandy-travels.com/disney.shtml

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Dental X-Rays Might Lead to Small Babies 



By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer 



CHICAGO - Women who undergo dental X-rays while pregnant face an 

increased risk of having underweight babies, a study found.    



The study lacked data on whether babies born to X-ray-exposed mothers 

developed any problems associated with low birth weight, including 

lung ailments and delays in physical or mental growth. 



Still, Dr. Michael Fleming, president of the American Academy of 

Family Physicians (news - web sites), called the study "potentially 

very significant because it really changes the information that we've 

believed all these years." 



While doctors and dentists usually are cautious about taking X-rays 

during pregnancy, the academy has told pregnant women that medical 

and dental X-rays are safe. 



Fleming said the study will "make us take a closer look at the data."



Similar findings have been reported in babies born to women exposed 

during childhood to radiation for cancer treatment. X-rays generally 

involve much lower radiation doses. 





The study, which appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American 

Medical Association (news - web sites), involved about 4,500 women 

who gave birth while enrolled in a dental insurance plan in 

Washington state between 1993 and 2000. 



A total of 1,117 low birth weight babies, or those weighing less than 

5 pounds, 8 ounces, were born to study participants. Women who had 

had dental X-rays during pregnancy faced about double the risk of 

having a low birth weight baby born either prematurely or full-term, 

and more than triple the risk of having a full-term underweight baby. 





There was no link found between X-rays and the smallest babies, those 

born at less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces. 



Only 21 women who had low birth weight babies had dental X-rays, all 

in the first trimester, when they might not have known they were 

pregnant. 



The study's lead author, Dr. Philippe Hujoel, a professor of dental 

public health services at the University of Washington, said more 

research is needed to determine if dental X-rays really are the 

culprit. 



Hujoel said it is unclear how dental X-rays might affect fetuses but 

theorized that the radiation might cause subtle changes in the 

functioning of the mother's thyroid gland, in the neck. Previous 

studies have found an increased risk of low birth weight babies in 

women with mild thyroid disease, he said. 



The researchers lacked information on why the women received X-rays. 

Hujoel said that while the X-rays were probably for routine checkups, 

they might have been prompted by conditions that could also increase 

the risk of low birth weight babies. 



In the meantime, Hujoel said, the results should not discourage 

pregnant women with dental emergencies such as bad toothaches from 

seeking appropriate care, including X-rays. The risks of such 

problems might outweigh any dangers from the X-rays, Hujoel said. 



Dr. Sally Cram, a Washington, D.C.-area dentist and spokeswoman for 

the American Dental Association, said the ADA advises dentists to 

avoid giving pregnant women X-rays during the first trimester if 

possible. 



All patients, pregnant or not, should be given protective aprons and 

collars that cover the upper body and neck, Cram said. 



She said the study reinforces the importance of taking care of any 

dental problems before pregnancy. 



***************************************************************

Sandy Perle                           

Vice President, Technical Operations                          

Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.    

3300 Hyland Avenue   

Costa Mesa, CA 92626             



Tel: (714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100  Extension 2306 

Fax: (714) 668-3149  



E-Mail: sperle@globaldosimetry.com      

E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net                      

                 

Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/

Global Dosimetry Solutions Website: http://www.globaldosimetry.com/



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