A 13-year-old boy was made to sign a waiver confirming he had no foetus growing inside him before he was allowed to have an X-ray. The teenager had been injured while playing rugby.

An NHS nurse asked whether he was pregnant after he was admitted to the Royal Hospital for Children in Edinburgh. His grandfather said the question left the teenager confused.

'He tried to laugh it off but seemed quite confused why anyone would need to ask if he was pregnant,' his grandfather said. He added that gender politics in Scotland was 'creating quite a lot of division'.

Calls Grow to Halt Checks

Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, said: 'John Swinney needs to tell NHS Lothian to stop this nonsense.' The Scottish Government said the matter was one for NHS Lothian, and the health board was contacted for comment.

Fiona McAnena, of the charity Sex Matters, branded the situation 'ridiculous', adding: 'Of course that clinician knew that the patient was a boy.' She has called on trusts that have adopted the radiography policy to revoke it and return to common sense.

Checks Cover All Genders

Posters at the hospital reportedly state that 'all genders aged between 12 and 55' are to be asked about pregnancy before an X-ray near the stomach. The boy's grandfather said the nurse threw her arms up as if to say 'don't blame me'.

The same age range is used in inclusive pregnancy status guidelines for ionising radiation drawn up by the Society of Radiographers. That guidance tells staff not to make assumptions and to include transgender, non-binary and intersex patients.

The guidance was written after an incident in which a trans man who was unknowingly pregnant had a CT scan. Radiology departments are encouraged to use the form or create their own version.

Hospitals in London and northern England are reported to use versions of the forms, though the scale is unclear. An NHS source said the policy was not national NHS England guidance, and the Society of Radiographers was approached for comment.

Why Radiation Raises the Stakes

Radiation from X-ray, CT scans and radiotherapy, can pose risks to unborn babies. Health information published by WebMD says a developing baby is largely shielded by the abdominal wall and the womb, though some radiation gets through.

The same source notes that developing babies are very sensitive to radiation. It also says a single X-ray of the limbs or teeth can be quite safe for the baby.

Staff Report Patient Distress

A report said X-ray operators at multiple hospitals have been told to ask men to fill in a pregnancy status form before scans. Staff said patients are being asked to give their sex at birth, preferred name and pronouns.

Radiographers said the forms had left men storming out of appointments and women in tears over 'invasive' fertility questions. One radiographer claimed a man on an urgent cancer pathway shouted, left the department and never had his scan.

Staff warned that such walkouts create an unnecessary risk for patients. Women who have had miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies are also having to explain in detail why they cannot be pregnant.

Research published on ScienceDirect found trainee radiographers in the North West of England were willing to carry out the checks despite little encouragement from staff. Its authors said the checks should be standardised and more LGBTQ+ training provided.

Dr Louise Irvine, a GP, said records should be able to note sex accurately alongside a patient's preferred pronouns. She said there was no need to ask male patients about pregnancy, sparing them embarrassment.

Read more