IME During Pregnancy: What Changes and How to Plan
Summary:
Pregnancy doesn't pause your immigration medical exam. In fact, most of the IME remains unchanged despite your pregnancy, including identity verification, physical exam, blood tests, and urine tests, all of which proceed as normal. The chest X-ray is the only part that works differently. IRCC gives pregnant applicants two options. They may proceed with the X-ray using lead shielding at the appointment, or defer until after delivery and complete it postpartum using the IMM 5733 deferral letter.
Time to Read: ~8 minutes
What You’ll Learn:
Which parts of the IME are unchanged during pregnancy
How the chest X-ray deferral works and what the IMM 5733 letter is
How to plan around your trimester and application deadlines
Answers to the most common concerns about safety and process
Next Steps:
Book your IME appointment early, even if you plan to defer the X-ray
Bring your estimated due date and medication list
After delivery, use your IMM 5733 letter and requisition form to complete the chest X-ray as soon as your physician says it's safe.
Finding out you're pregnant while an immigration application is in progress raises an immediate question for a lot of people: Do I need to postpone my medical exam?
The short answer is no. You still need to complete your Immigration Medical Exam (IME), and most of the exam is the same as for any other applicant. What changes during pregnancy is narrower than most people expect, and there are clear, well-supported options for handling the one part that is different.
What Parts of the Exam Stay the Same
Most of your IME is unchanged during pregnancy. Here's what to expect:
Standard components for all applicants
Identity verification and photo
Medical history questionnaire: disclose your pregnancy and estimated due date when asked
Physical exam covering blood pressure, heart, lungs, and abdomen. The exam is not invasive and does not include an internal examination unless your history specifically warrants it.
Vision check
Blood tests (applicants aged 15 and older): HIV, syphilis, and kidney function. Safe to complete during pregnancy and unchanged.
Urine test (applicants aged 5 and older)
Your rights during the exam
You have the right to a chaperone at any point during the exam, and you can ask the physician to pause or stop at any time. You also don't need to bring ultrasound images, full obstetric records, or any evidence of your prenatal care routine.
The Chest X-Ray and Your Options
This is the one part of the IME where pregnancy changes your options. The chest X-ray is required for all applicants aged 11 and older, primarily for tuberculosis screening. Your IME cannot be fully submitted to IRCC without it.
Pregnancy doesn't remove this requirement, but it gives you two options to time it differently.
1) Proceed now with lead shielding
What it means: You complete the X-ray at your appointment. A lead apron covers your pelvis to minimize fetal exposure. Radiation from a chest X-ray at this dose is very low. Your IME is fully submitted that day.
Best suited for: Applicants in early pregnancy who want to keep their application moving and have discussed the risk with their physician.
2) Defer until after delivery
What it means: You complete everything else at your appointment. The panel physician notifies IRCC electronically through eMedical that you're pregnant, including your estimated delivery date. You receive the IMM 5733 deferral letter and an X-ray requisition to use postpartum.
Best suited for: Applicants who prefer to wait, or whose physician recommends waiting based on their stage of pregnancy or individual circumstances.
After a deferral
Complete the chest X-ray as soon as your physician says it's clinically safe, generally a few weeks postpartum.
Bring your IMM 5733 letter and X-ray requisition form to the radiology clinic.
The radiologist sends results to your panel physician, who submits them to IRCC.
Your IME is not considered complete until this step is done, and IRCC won't finalize your application until the X-ray is on file.
You don't need to contact IRCC separately. The panel physician handles the notification through eMedical at the time of your appointment.
Planning Around Your Pregnancy Stage and Deadlines
First trimester
Many applicants choose to postpone the chest X-ray portion of the exam during the first trimester, but that decision is personal rather than a requirement from IRCC. The deferral option allows you to complete the rest of the IME now and return for the X-ray after you’ve given birth. If your application deadline is approaching, speak with your physician about whether proceeding with lead shielding makes sense for your particular situation.
Second and third trimesters
Deferring the X-ray is common during later stages of pregnancy. It’s still important to book the appointment so the non-X-ray portions of the medical exam can be submitted to IRCC and your file can continue moving forward. Your IRCC account may show the medical as incomplete pending the post-pregnancy X-ray, which is expected in these cases.
Application deadline awareness
If you received a medical instruction letter, IRCC tends to expect the exam process to begin within 30 days. For pregnant applicants who have chosen to defer the chest X-ray, that still means completing the non-X-ray portions within that timeframe. Avoid delaying the entire appointment because of your pregnancy, since that’s one of the most common reasons immigration medical files stall.
What Records Help at Your Appointment
You're not required to bring obstetric documentation, but a few items can make the appointment run more smoothly and reduce the risk of follow-up requests.
Helpful to bring
Your estimated due date in writing, ideally from a healthcare provider
A current medication list with names and dosages, including prenatal vitamins and supplements
Brief notes from your OB or midwife if you have a pregnancy-related condition such as gestational diabetes or hypertension
Your previous IME or UMI number, if this is a re-medical
You don't need to bring
Ultrasound images
Full obstetric records or prenatal visit history
Evidence of your prenatal care routine
The panel physician is completing a standard admissibility assessment. They're not evaluating your prenatal care.
Common Concerns, Answered
Will the X-ray harm my baby?
The radiation exposure from a single chest X-ray is very low, and using a lead apron further limits fetal exposure. That’s why Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada allows pregnant applicants to proceed with the X-ray if they choose. The option to defer exists to give applicants flexibility and comfort with the process, not because the exam is considered unsafe. If you have concerns about your specific situation, it’s best to speak with your physician before the appointment.
Will there be an internal examination?
No. An internal examination is not part of the standard IME and is not required by IRCC unless your medical history specifically warrants it. You also have the right to a chaperone throughout the exam and can ask the physician to stop at any time.
Will my application be delayed if I defer?
It will be paused at the final assessment stage until your chest X-ray is submitted. This isn't a problem or a refusal. IRCC expects this and tracks it through eMedical. Your application won't be negatively affected as long as you complete the X-ray promptly after delivery.
Do I need to tell IRCC myself?
No. When you defer, your panel physician notifies IRCC electronically through eMedical at the time of submission. Keep the IMM 5733 letter they give you. If you're managing an overseas application, it's a good idea to provide a copy to your visa office as well.
How to Keep Your Application Moving
Book early, even if you plan to defer
Complete the non-X-ray portions of your exam as soon as possible
The earlier those results are submitted to IRCC, the earlier your file is in the queue
Booking within your instruction window still applies when you plan to defer
Follow up on the X-ray promptly after delivery
Complete it as soon as your physician says it's safe, usually within a few weeks of delivery.
Bring your IMM 5733 letter and requisition form.
Don't wait until things feel settled at home. The sooner it's done, the sooner your application moves forward.
Keep your contact information current
IRCC may follow up after the X-ray is submitted.
Make sure your email and mailing address are up to date in your IRCC secure account throughout your pregnancy and the postpartum period.
How Panel Physician helps
We handle the eMedical notification and deferral process on your behalf. You don't need to contact IRCC separately.
We provide the IMM 5733 deferral letter and X-ray requisition at your appointment.
Results are submitted to IRCC electronically within 5 to 10 business days.
Same-week appointments are available at all five of our GTA locations.
What Happens After You Submit
The most common post-appointment step for pregnant applicants is the chest X-ray after delivery. This is planned and expected, not a problem. Once it's submitted, the status flow is the same as any other IME: Waiting on You, In Progress, and Completed. In some cases, IRCC may request additional information unrelated to the pregnancy, called a furtherance request, and this can happen for any applicant. Monitor your IRCC account regularly for messages and respond promptly to anything that comes in.
Related Reading:
The Exam Doesn't Stop. It Just Adapts.
Pregnancy changes one part of your IME and gives you a clear, well-supported path for handling it. The rest of the exam is the same as for any other applicant. The most important thing you can do is book early, arrive prepared, and follow up on the chest X-ray promptly after delivery.
Panel Physician's clinics handle the deferral process end-to-end. You're not navigating it alone.
Ready to book your IME? Schedule yours with Panel Physician today.
