Ventricular Septal Defect In A New born To A Mother With Inadvertent Exposure To Chest Radiograph During Pregnancy: A Case Report

Abstract

We present a case of a newborn with ventricular septal defect (VSD) born to a mother who underwent a chest radiograph during pregnancy. A 25-year-old woman with chest pain underwent a chest radiograph at 7 weeks' gestation, which was normal. The radiation exposure was estimated to be approximately 1 rad (0.01 Gy). At 39+4 weeks' gestation, she delivered a male neonate weighing 2.5 kg, who had a 3 mm VSD on echocardiography. This case highlights the potential association between maternal radiation exposure and congenital heart defects in the new-born. Further studies are needed to explore this association and to counsel patients about the risks and benefits of radiation exposure during pregnancy ¹.