Healthcare professionals’ knowledge of the doses and risks for radiological investigations performed during pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnant women should receive appropriate care during radiation examination which requires increased awareness of the effect of radiation and its associated risks. The aim of the study was to assess awareness of radiation risks on pregnant women during radiological examination among healthcare professionals and women who are pregnant or of childbearing age. A total of 225 individuals from different professional groups (nurses, medical radiographers, radiologists) and a total of 75 women who were pregnant or in childbearing age responded to a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in Riyadh and Al-Kharj hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed by T-test and ANOVAs-test to compare the level of knowledge among participants; the level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. The results showed that the healthcare workers who had attended training programs had an increased level of knowledge regarding radiation effects among pregnant women as compared to those who had not attended training programs (p < 0.05). The study showed a non-significant difference in awareness level for healthcare professionals regarding their job experience (p > 0.05). There was a lack of nurses’ awareness regarding X-ray or radiation dosage and its effect on pregnant women and fetuses. On-going training and education regarding radiation protection is recommended.