What's New?
•	National Radiation Protection Professionals Week, 2-8 November 2008
	HPS Issues Position on Ensuring a Domestic Supply of Medical Radioisotopes
	HPS Comments on Radioactive CsCl Source Security and Replacement
•	October Newsletter
•	October Journal

Upcoming Events
•	IRPA 12 19-24 October 2008
•	HPS Midyear Meeting Recent Advances in Planning and Response to Radiation Emergencies 31 January - 3 February 2009 San Antonio, Texas
•	54th Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society 12-16 July 2009 Minneapolis, Minnesota

11 October 2008

Answer to Question #4761 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Pregnancy and Radiation — Conception after exposures

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

The first day of my last period was August 5^th. On August 22^nd my 16-month-old had three x rays done on his face to check for a broken nose. I was in the room and helped to hold him down on the table. I was wearing a waist apron during the x rays. At the time, I did not know that I was pregnant. It is September 5^th and I just had a positive pregnancy test over the weekend. Should I be worried about birth defects to the unborn fetus?

Your circumstances occur very commonly and it can be upsetting. But accurate information is frequently the antidote for concern. The x-ray machine uses a cone to project the radiation in a small area so that anyone holding the patient has practically no exposure to her body. You also were wearing a lead apron, so any exposure that you may have received would be insignificant with regard to affecting your fetus. Also, your embryo was only a few days old, which is a stage that is much less likely to be malformed by even a high dose of radiation. So your reproductive risks have not changed following your experience in the x-ray department.

If you have no personal or family history of reproductive or developmental problems you began your pregnancy with a 3% risk for birth defects and a 15% risk for miscarriage. Neither you nor I can change these background risks. Good luck with your pregnancy.

Thank you for contacting the Health Physics Society Web site ATE feature.

Robert L. Brent MD, PhD, Dsc (Hon)

Answer posted on 7 September 2005. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.