title: Prenatal radiation exposure: background material for counseling pregnant patients following exposure to radiation.
abstract: Fetal sensitivity to radiation-induced health effects is related to gestational age, and it is highly dependent on fetal dose. Typical fetal doses from diagnostic radiology are usually below any level of concern. Although rare, significant fetal radiation doses can result from interventional medical exposures (fluoroscopically guided techniques), radiation therapy, or radiological or nuclear incidents, including terrorism. The potential health effects from these large radiation doses (possibly large enough to result in acute radiation syndrome in the expectant mother) include growth retardation, malformations, impaired brain function, and neoplasia. If exposure occurs during blastogenesis (and the embryo survives), there is a low risk for congenital abnormalities. (In all stages of gestation, radiation-induced noncancer health effects have not been reported for fetal doses below about 0.05 Gy [5 rad].) The additional risk for childhood cancer from prenatal radiation exposure is about 12% per Gy (0.12%/rad) above the background incidence.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2995 Kammeyer Ln, Chamblee, GA 30341, USA. edonnelly@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Eduardo B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Farfán
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozcan
mesh_terms: D000016:Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000209:etiology; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000528:radiation effects