The primary reason for a thyroid scan in a nursing mother is to differentiate between postpartum thyroiditis and Graves' Disease. But is it safe for a woman and her baby to get a thyroid scan when breastfeeding?
If a doctor suggests a thyroid scan, a woman can ask the doctor whether an alternative diagnostic procedure -- for example, blood testing, or fine needle aspiration -- can be performed instead of the scan.
If a scan needs absolutely needs to be done, it is possible to do a thyroid scan with a substance called technetium, rather than radioactive iodine, according to breastfeeding expert, Dr. Jack Newman. At the About.com Pediatrics site, Dr. Newman has said:
"Technetium has a half life (the length of time it takes for half of all the drug to leave the body) of 6 hours, which means that after 5 half lives it will be gone from the mother's body. Thus, 30 hours after injection all of it will be gone and the mother can nurse her baby without concern about his getting radiation."Typically, the nursing mother should stockpile some milk ahead of the scan, and then "pump and dump" during the 30-hour period after injection.
Read more Frequently Asked Questions About Breastfeeding and Thyroid Disease
