Radiation Patients being around pregnant women?

KDC1014 · August 2011

My mom was just diagnosed with Lung Cancer. We're not sure of the stage yet, but she is going through some test with radioactive dyes and eventually will need probably need radiation treatments.

I asked all my doctors and all if I can be near her while going through the treatments and every single one of them gave me a different answer.

Does any of you ladies know if I can be near her after 24 hrs. or she will have to stay her distance until after all her treatments?

I'm in in my third trimester and near the end and don't want to jeopardize anything right now, but I want to be there for my mom too. I'm so torn and so stressed out over my mom being sick. Chat Icon

VTFutureMrs · August 2011

Sorry you are going through this. I don't have an answer to your question, but you might want to have your mom ask her doctors what they think since they know more about radiation exposure than your doctors.

caffinated_tulip · August 2011

You can be around her, but it might turn your baby into a super hero.

Seriously though, there's no damage to you in being around her. I'd worry about her safety more when it comes to a comprimised immune system that she may be developing during the treatments. I'm sorry that she's going through this. You can be there for her, just make sure to take any precautions her doctors ask of you.

Nanner22 · August 2011

I'm so sorry that you and your family are having to go through this. Cancer SUCKS! I would not worry too much about being with her after treatments. I would be very careful when visiting the hospitals though.

If you need someone to talk to about this/Vent to let me know. My MIL was diagnosed just 2 weeks before we found out we were PG. And unfortunately she passed away just a few short weeks later. I would not have traded those moments sitting with her in the hospital for anything! Just make sure you are protecting yourself as much as possible while in the health care facilities and do what you can to boost your immune system (this was my doctors suggestion).

GingerCupcake · August 2011

My cousin had cancer treatments while she was pregnant and her baby was fine. Her cancer had to be treated immediately, the baby had increased monitoring (NST's, BPP's, etc.) If a pregnant woman can go through treatments herself without harming the baby surely you can be around someone that has been treated.

ohmygoodness99 · August 2011

Ask your mom's doctors and nurses. People who specialize in radiation treatments should know any possible dangers. I would tend to think you should be fine, especially at the end of your pregnancy.

emmyloustu · August 2011

I am so sorry about your mom. (((hugs))) You need to get a concrete answer from a medical professional - there are too many variables.

FWIW, a friend's husband had to have a test that used a high level of radiation while she was pregnant and she was not allowed to be around him for a set period of time following the test - it was at least a few days.

stabil19 · August 2011

There are different types of radiation. My friend who had radiation because of a thyroid issue could not be around ANYONE, especially young kids and pregnant woment. She had to stay in a hotel for 24 hours at least.

My mother had radiation in February and March for her cancer, and she was able to be around me. She asked her doctor, and he said there was no harm. I was not around her a lot during that time, as I lived a few hours away.

I would have your mother ask her doc too.

BettyBookworm · August 2011

OP (and others in this thread with family members fighting cancer)-- I am so sorry to hear about your mother's diagnosis. It is my understanding that you should be fine, but it all depends on the type of radiation she is getting. When in doubt ask the person administering the radiation, your mom's doctor etc. Have your mom ask for you etc.

I can certainly understand why you would feel torn about this issue. You don't want to jeopardize your baby, but at the same time you want to support your mom. Hang in there! Big E-hugs to you.

JhawkCE · August 2011

You need to ask her oncologist. They are the only ones who are going to know which one she's on and what the effects will be.

JenMon514 · August 2011

It depends on the type of radiation. My mom just finished chemotherapy and is now going to start radiation. I am currently living with her and a friend of hers who is a RN mentioned it could be a problem so she asked her doctors. (none of them had ever mentioned this previously.)

She is getting internal radiation and apparently some internal radiation involves putting something inside of you and leaving it in there for a certain period of time, in those cases they did say she could not be around pregnant women or babies. My mom is having an internal radiation that involves her going in, getting the area radiated and then leaving...nothing left inside and they said that it is perfectly safe to be around me. I believe external radiation is also completely safe. I'm not sure what kind of radiation they use for lung cancer, my dad had it but never received radiation. Good Luck!

ellewoodsSC · August 2011

JhawkCE:
You need to ask her oncologist. They are the only ones who are going to know which one she's on and what the effects will be.

Definitely this, most people here are not medical professionals and don't know that there's different therapies for different cancers, so whatever personal experiences they have had, they clearly don't understand your particular situation. Sorry to hear about your mom, oncologists can do remarkable things these days.

KDC1014 · August 2011

Thank you ladies so much for responding. I'm so sorry to hear some of you had to deal with a love one having/had cancer. It's a terrible disease.

My mom is like my best friend and it's so hard to be away from her, so I'm definitely going to have her ask her oncologist again. She mentioned it to him once before and he said it was fine to be around pregnant women and children, but I'm getting so much conflicting information from my doctors that it still has me worried and paranoid.

It took so long for me to get pregnant and I just want everything to be ok, including my mom. This is one of the hardest things I ever had to deal with. I just hope for the best for my mom and please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you again for listening.

kg_08 · August 2011

My husband works with radiation every day, so I actually called him to get an answer for you.

If the radiation is coming from an outside source, then you're fine to be around her immediately after. If it's radiation from the INSIDE, like dye I would assume, then it is not safe to be around her right away. The ammount of time you have to wait depends on the individual kind of radiation they're using. I'd ask your mother's doctor.

Sorry you're going through this!

Want a personalized experience?

Radiation Patients being around pregnant women?

Re: Radiation Patients being around pregnant women?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards