Xrays while trying to get pregnant

I had a miscarriage in early June 2009.  I can start trying to get pregnant again after two cyles.  My next period should be in one week.  Last week I had dental work done and x rays had to be done.  The technician did not do them properly, and the x rays had to be repeated 4 times.  This resulted in "burns" to my gums and throat.  I am almost now fully healed, but am curious if all of this could have harmed my ovaries or eggs.  I know they say dental xrays are "safe" but I obviously received many more x rays than average.  I am excited to try and get pregnant again, but don't know if I should start to try after this next cycle, or wait a bit longer.  Any advice is appreciated

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Welcome to the forum. You had got the dental x-rays for diagnostic purposes and not for therapeutic purposes (treatment purposes like in some cancers).When x-rays are used for therapeutic purposes, then the amount of x-ray exposure of the body is far greater than when used for diagnostic purposes.

Secondly today’s technology guarantees that there is no unnecessary exposure of the body other than the area of interest. In dental x-rays it is only the teeth and face that are exposed to the x-rays. Minimal or very less amount of exposure of the ovaries to the x-rays is there.Thirdly,the reproductive organs are at a far greater distance from the area of interest in dental x-rays. Had it been an abdominal x-ray then the risk of exposure to the x-rays could have been there. There is nothing to worry and you can have a safe pregnancy.

Take care and please do keep me posted in case you have any additional doubts. Warm regards.

[Dr J Singh]

Hello,
Thanks for writing in this forum. I can understand your concern because x-rays are known to cause effect on ovaries and your reproductive organs. But at the same time, I would like to assure you that the current technology has reduced radiation exposure significantly and the beam is limited only to the area of interest.

X-rays with the highest exposure of the reproductive organs include: abdominal x-rays, arteriograms, barium enemas, body CAT scans and x-rays of the genitourinary organs. So if you had dental x-rays, then the area of exposure of the beams is limited. Also you have not mentioned whether you were wearing any lead shield or not. If you were wearing a lead shield at that time, then chances of exposure are significantly reduced. But if you were not wearing any lead shields, then chances of negligible exposure is there. There is no specific test to predict whether any gene mutations in the chromosome or any damage to the reproductive organs have occurred. At the most, you can get a transvillous sampling or amniocentesis done at the time of pregnancy to check any genetic abnormality. You can wait for one or two more cycles and then try for pregnancy.

I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.