Offspring of Male Nuclear Workers

[loc <loc@icx.net>]

No Increase in Fetal Death, Birth Defects Seen in Offspring of Male
Nuclear Workers 
http://womenshealth.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2000/10/10.15/20001013epid002.html

WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Oct 15 - The offspring of
men exposed to low-level ionizing radiation in the
workplace are at no greater risk of fetal death or congenital
malformation than the general population. The findings of a
study in the October 14th issue of The Lancet do, however,
indicate that women who work in the nuclear industry may
have cause for concern. 

Dr. Pat Doyle, of the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine, and colleagues examined the association
between workplace exposure to low-level ionizing radiation
and adverse pregnancy outcomes in an occupational cohort
of nuclear industry workers in the UK. In total, 11,697 men
and 1,903 women who reported pregnancies after
employment in the nuclear industry were included in the
study. 

"Preconceptual exposure to ionizing radiation did not affect
the risk of congenital malformation," in either men or women
in the study. In men, exposure was also not correlated with
any risk of fetal death. 

On the other hand, women exposed to low-level ionizing
radiation before pregnancy appeared to be at increased risk
of early miscarriage and stillbirth, with odds ratios of 1.3
and 2.2, respectively. The authors note that the numbers of
women who experienced these outcomes were small,
limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from the statistics.

Dr. Doyle adds in a statement that the link between maternal
exposure and fetal death is "difficult to interpret," and
concludes with colleagues in the journal that this association
deserves further study. 

The Lancet 2000;356:1293-1299. 
-- 
Susan Gawarecki, Executive Director
ORR Local Oversight Committee
loc@icx.net
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