NIH Policy on Pregnant Radiation Workers
An occupationally-exposed pregnant woman who chooses to declare her pregnancy may do so at any time by completing the Declaration of Pregnancy form. Completed forms should be submitted to the Division of Radiation Safety in person or by mailing it to Building 21, Room 116 in an envelope marked “Confidential." The form may also be submitted via fax to (301) 496-3544 or delivered to the worker's assigned area health physicist.
Participation in the fetal protection program is entirely voluntary. Once the DRS receives the form, the pregnant individual will be contacted within two working days and receive further guidance on how to complete the process.
If a woman declares her pregnancy in writing, the DRS will:
- Contact the pregnant worker within two working days and provide further guidance on how to complete the process
- Evaluate the dose received by the embryo/fetus throughout the pregnancy due to the woman's occupational exposure; and
- Assist the pregnant worker in limiting that dose to 0.5 rem (500 mrem or 5 mSv)
- The 0.5 rem limit applies to the sum of internal and external doses received by the embryo/fetus due to occupational exposure of the mother and is equivalent to 10% of the annual whole body dose limit for occupationally exposed adults. In addition, substantial variation above a uniform monthly dose rate should be avoided so that all the 0.5 rem allowed dose does not occur in a short period during the pregnancy
Regulatory Guidance
Information on radiation health effects and prenatal radiation exposure can be obtained from the DRS at (301) 496-5774 or from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
NIH Policy on Breastfeeding Radiation Workers
A breastfeeding radiation worker can transmit radioactive material to her child if she receives an internal uptake of radioactive material herself. The potential for uptake and subsequent transmission to a child via breast milk is greatest for volatile forms of radioiodine and some potentially volatile forms of H-3, S-35, Br-76, and At-211. However, not all radioactive materials are a concern to breastfeeding women due differences in absorption into the woman's body and incorporation into breast milk.
An occupationally exposed breastfeeding individual who chooses to declare breastfeeding status may do so at any time by completing the Breastfeeding Declaration form. Completed forms should be submitted to the Division of Radiation Safety in person or by mailing it to Building 21, Room 116 in an envelope marked “Confidential." The form may also be submitted via fax to (301) 496-3544 or delivered to the worker's assigned area health physicist.
Participation in this declaration policy is entirely voluntary. Once the DRS receives the form, the breastfeeding individual will be contacted within two working days and receive further guidance on how to complete the process.
If a researcher declares her breastfeeding status in writing to the DRS, the DRS will:
- evaluate the potential for the breastfeeding individual to receive an internal uptake of radioactive material throughout the individual's breastfeeding term due to occupational exposure; and
- assist the breastfeeding individual in lowering radiation dose to a level as low as reasonably achievable by limiting the annual committed effective dose equivalent to 0.1 rem
The 0.1 rem limit applies only to the total internal dose received by the breastfeeding individual due to occupational exposure and is equivalent to the allowable dose limit for a member of the public.
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