The journey to motherhood is not easy and you need to be very careful with every step that you take in order to ensure the safety of your child. You should inform your doctor about any discomfort that you experience so that your doctor knows what is happening with you. Never self-medicate or go for procedures without your doctor's consent.
If you have been suffering from any lingering health issue like knee pain or other joint pain, make sure you address it well in advance before you start trying for a baby. This is because for any joint pain or bone related issue, the first thing that needs to be done is an x-ray. X-rays can lead to pregnancy complications and are not advisable during pregnancy. In worst case scenarios, your doctor may also prescribe an advanced procedure called arthrography to determine the cause of the problem.
Arthrography is a diagnostic radiology method that is used to examine joints of your body, like the knee or hip. This method is used when X-ray reports do not reveal adequate information. In this procedure, an injection of a radiopaque substance is injected in the affected joint. Radiopaque is a substance that appears white on the X-rays. Following this, X-rays are taken from different positions in order to determine the cause of the problem in the affected area.
This procedure is done to find out about an ongoing problem or unknown pain or swelling or abnormal movement in your joints. It also helps to determine abnormal growths like cysts.
An arthrogram is usually not done during pregnancy. This is because the X-rays emitted during the procedure may lead to birth defects in your baby. However, in case it is unavoidable, then the doctor may use a pelvic shield before conducting the test in order to prevent the X-rays from affecting your baby.
Besides this, the radiopaque substance that is injected during the procedure may also affect your baby. More than your baby, you may also get allergic reactions to this substance. So it is better to stay away from this procedure especially while you are pregnant as your body undergoes tremendous changes during pregnancy.
This is why it is essential to inform the doctor about your pregnancy if you plan to undergo this procedure while you are pregnant. This will help the doctor decide if the procedure can be avoided in order to prevent any complications.
Submitted by M T on April 1, 2010 at 01:46