Women who undergo CT scans before becoming pregnant are at increased risk of birth defects and pregnancy loss, research shows.

Officially known as a computed tomography scan, a CT scan is a type of X-ray that gives health professionals more detailed results.

It produces more radiation than other types of imaging and is best avoided during pregnancy, according to the federal government.

A study of more than 5000 pregnancies, published in the medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found 101 in 1000 were lost, with the rate rising to 117 if the woman had one CT scan.

The rate rose to 130 for two scans and to 142 for three or more scans, the research on pregnancies between 1992 and 2023 from Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada, found.

Birth defects were found in 62 per 1000

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