WORDS FROM THE WISE
Radiation exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Sheila Liddle describes a dilemma faced by many women who work with ionising radiations and their employers .
I ' m pregnant - do I have to tell my employer ? A question frequently asked by employees . Legally the answer is “ No ”, however the strongly recommended answer is “ Yes ”. This is because the first trimester is the most important period in the development of the foetus .
The employee is not obliged to tell the employer , but the employer is obliged to make female employees aware of the risks . The employer is then obliged to carry out risk assessments for both pregnant and breastfeeding employees . Detailed guidance is available in the HSE Publication , Work with Ionising Radiation , Approved Code of Practice , L121 ( Second Edition ). HSE has also published guidance for expectant or breastfeeding mothers . It is slightly out of date as it refers to the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 , but is still applicable . It is in the interests of the individual and their baby that the employer is informed as soon as one becomes aware they are pregnant . The employer needs to know if an employee is pregnant before they can make any changes that may be required to introduce protection measures . However , one is not legally required to notify the employer , and the employee may choose to keep that information private . HSE guidance states :
“ When you decide to inform your employer , this should be in writing . The person to inform may be named in the local rules . You may also be asked to provide a medical certificate .
Many couples would prefer not to make an announcement until the first 12 weeks have passed and they have possibly received the first ultrasound scan to confirm everything is alright . However , the first 6-15 weeks are the most critical time during a pregnancy , when the organs begin to develop . By 10 weeks , the foetus starts to develop its arms and legs , its heart is beating and it is beginning to look like a baby . By 14 weeks its liver , kidneys , digestive system and lungs are developing . It is during these first weeks that foetal defects start to occur , so it is important not to expose the body to anything that may have an impact on foetal development .
From this point on , your working conditions will have to be controlled so that the dose to your baby from your work is minimised and unlikely to be more than 1 mSv for the remainder of your pregnancy . This dose level has been set very prudently and excludes any natural or non work-related radiation your baby might receive .”
ICRP103 , published in 2007 , states that the International Commission on Radiological Protection judges that risks of malformation after in-utero exposure to doses well below 100 mGy are not expected .
When working as a Radiation Protection Adviser in the nuclear industry , a number of ladies approached me to discuss planning a
26 Radiation Protection Today www . srp-rpt . uk