X-ray staff ‘told to ask men if they’re pregnant’ after updated inclusivity guidance issued

X-ray operators have been instructed to ask men if they are pregnant before conducting scans, it has emerged.

Inclusivity guidance that covers multiple hospitals in the UK states that radiographers must check whether all patients aged 12 to 55 are pregnant, regardless of their sex.

It was issued by the Society of Radiographers (SoR) following an incident in which a trans man who was unknowingly pregnant had a CT scan.

The radiation from these devices, as well as X-ray and MRI scans and cancer treatments, can be dangerous to unborn babies.

But radiologists have warned that the guidance – which tells staff to be inclusive of transgender, non-binary and intersex patients – has caused confusion and anger.

The measures have left men storming out of appointments and women in tears because of “invasive” fertility questions, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Radiologists said patients are being asked to fill out pregnancy forms stating their sex at birth and preferred name and pronouns.

Campaigners said the practice was “humiliating” for patients and called for “a return to common sense”.

In one instance, a man on a two-week urgent cancer pathway was said to be “so annoyed by questions on the form that he left the department and didn’t actually have a scan”.

Another patient requiring daily scans for a week after oesophageal surgery was left with a “sense of doubt” after being asked whether he was a man every day.

Women have also been left in tears by questions about their fertility, while patients of all backgrounds have been offended or embarrassed by the suggestion that their sex was not obvious, staff say.

The guidance, developed by the Society of Radiographers (SoR), encourages NHS radiology departments to use its form or create their own version.

It is not known how widespread their use is, but it is understood multiple hospitals in London, the North West and North East are using variations of the form.

GP Dr Louise Irvine said it should be possible for medical records to “accurately record sex” as well as the patient’s preferred pronouns.

She added: “Given that it is impossible for anyone of the male sex to become pregnant, there is no need to ask male people if they might be pregnant, and thereby avoid a lot of embarrassment and upset,” she said.

“If someone identifies as transgender or non-binary, and their records indicate they are biologically female, then they can be respectfully asked about the possibility of pregnancy.”

Fiona McAnena, of women’s rights charity Sex Matters, called for a “return to common sense”.

She added: “Putting healthcare staff and male patients through this humiliating farce, with inclusivity pregnancy forms, questions on the likelihood of pregnancy, and inquiries about their pronouns, is both inappropriate and a shocking waste of time.”

Richard Evans, chief executive officer of the SoR, said: “It is insulting to suggest that personal ideology takes precedence when clinical practitioners such as radiographers are dealing with patients.”

“It is specifically the case that radiographers using ionising radiation have a legal duty to ensure that a foetus is protected from exposure to harm.”

Mr Evans added that guidance for these “important checks (was) therefore essential”.