There are a lot of specialists that expressed their concerns regarding MRI during pregnancy. It is possible for the contrast agents used during the imaging to be harmful for the developing baby. If you are interested in the way that the imaging works, you should know that the human body is made of water molecules that come with protons. These react to the radio frequencies and magnetic energy that comes from the body. The reactions result in different levels of radio frequencies and magnetic energy that are different from the normal levels. This way the specialists can read these to find abnormal tissue formation, like a tumor.
What is an MRI?
When it comes to having an MRI while being pregnant, the imaging is indicated only in case some other kind of testing showed the possibility of a growth. First the women are usually tested with the help of an ultrasound. This is used to assess the development of the baby. However in some cases it can also show other growths that aren’t normal. As it has been mentioned before, there are some contrast agents used in case of the MRI. These usually consist of manganese and gadolinium. Both of them are rare earth metals and they are used because they react to the magnetic fields. Their reactions make the abnormalities even more visible.
What you should know?
It has been seen that minutes after the agents were introduced into the organism of the mother, they reached the placenta. There is no evidence showing whether they leave this area and whether they have any long-term effects on the development of the baby. Regarding having a pregnancy MRI it is also debatable whether the heat caused by the magnetic fields in the body of the mother affects the fetus or not. Not even the doctors have the answers yet.
