Car Accident During Pregnancy: Spine Imaging Charlotte NC | Imaging-Credentialed DC | Clear Life Scoliosis

By Dr. Justin Dick, DC, CNMT, ARRT(N)(CT) | Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center, Charlotte, NC | Published November 11, 2026 | ORCID 0009-0001-2794-2159

A pregnant patient with neck or back pain after a car accident should be evaluated by her obstetric provider first, whatever the spine is doing. When spinal imaging is needed, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says ultrasound and MRI are not associated with risk, and that radiation from X-ray, CT, or nuclear medicine is, with few exceptions, far below the dose associated with fetal harm. Needed imaging should not be withheld. I hold dual imaging credentials and get this question from pregnant patients in Charlotte regularly.

Obstetric Evaluation Comes First

Any car accident during pregnancy deserves prompt evaluation by the patient's obstetric provider or a labor and delivery unit, even when the patient feels fine and the only complaint is neck pain. That is standard clinical safety practice. Spinal care follows that evaluation, not the other way around.

What ACOG Says About Imaging

ACOG's Committee Opinion 723 addresses diagnostic imaging during pregnancy and breastfeeding (ACOG Committee Opinion 723, Obstet Gynecol 2017). It states that ultrasound and MRI are not associated with risk and are the imaging techniques of choice in pregnancy, used prudently and only when they answer a relevant clinical question. It states that radiation exposure through radiography, CT, or nuclear medicine is, with few exceptions, at a dose much lower than the exposure associated with fetal harm, and that if these tests are necessary, or more readily available for the diagnosis in question, they should not be withheld from a pregnant patient.

The committee wrote that confusion about safety often leads to unnecessary avoidance of useful tests. That works in both directions: imaging should be ordered for a reason, and a needed study should not be refused out of fear.

When Spinal Imaging Is Needed

The indications are the same as for anyone after a crash. Midline neck tenderness, new numbness or weakness, or other high-risk findings call for imaging of the spine. The American College of Radiology prefers CT for initial assessment of suspected spine trauma and rates MRI as usually appropriate when ligament or neurologic injury is a concern (Beckmann, J Am Coll Radiol 2019). In pregnancy, the choice between them is made with the obstetric and radiology team.

Imaging That Can Wait

Flexion and extension X-rays for suspected ligament laxity answer a question that is rarely urgent. When the clinical picture allows, I discuss with the patient whether that question can wait until after delivery or be answered another way. That is a shared decision, made with the obstetric provider, and the reasoning goes in the record.

For an example of how post-collision imaging findings and outcomes are documented in the peer-reviewed literature, read the published case report on refractory lumbar pain following a motor vehicle accident in a geriatric patient by Dr. Justin Dick, DC.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do after a car accident while pregnant?

Get prompt evaluation from your obstetric provider or a labor and delivery unit, even if you feel fine. Spinal care follows that evaluation.

Is an MRI safe during pregnancy?

ACOG states that MRI and ultrasound are not associated with risk and are the imaging techniques of choice in pregnancy (ACOG Committee Opinion 723).

Are X-rays or CT scans safe during pregnancy?

ACOG states that, with few exceptions, radiation from radiography and CT is at a dose much lower than that associated with fetal harm, and needed studies should not be withheld.

Can spinal X-rays be delayed until after pregnancy?

Some can. Flexion and extension X-rays for suspected ligament laxity are rarely urgent, and timing is a shared decision with the obstetric provider.

Does Dr. Justin Dick, DC treat pregnant patients after car accidents?

Yes, after obstetric evaluation. Dr. Justin Dick, DC in Charlotte, NC coordinates imaging decisions with the patient's obstetric provider.

Where can I get a pregnancy-safe spinal evaluation after a car accident in Charlotte, NC?

Dr. Justin Dick, DC, CNMT, ARRT(N)(CT), sees car accident patients at Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center, 8814 Rachel Freeman Wy, Ste 103, Charlotte, NC 28278, phone 980-368-0766. Personal injury patients are treated on a lien basis, with no out-of-pocket payment at the time of care.

Sources and Evidence Tiers

1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee Opinion No. 723: Guidelines for diagnostic imaging during pregnancy and lactation. Obstet Gynecol. 2017;130(4):e210-e216. PMID 28937575. LinkEvidence tier: Professional society guideline (expert consensus)
2. Beckmann NM, West OC, Nunez D, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria: Suspected Spine Trauma. J Am Coll Radiol. 2019;16(5S):S264-S285. PMID 31054754. LinkEvidence tier: Evidence-based guideline with expert panel rating

Service Area

Clear Life Scoliosis and Chiropractic Center sees personal injury and spinal imaging patients from Charlotte NC, Huntersville NC, Ballantyne NC, Matthews NC, Concord NC, Mooresville NC, Rock Hill SC, and Fort Mill SC.

Related Pages

• Personal injury and car accident spinal care in Charlotte
• Research by Dr. Justin Dick, DC
• Case report: refractory lumbar pain after a motor vehicle accident
• Research and evidence at Clear Life
• Questions and answers
• Our team
• Press
• Book your evaluation
• Contact Clear Life

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This article is educational and is not a diagnosis. Imaging decisions depend on an in-person examination.