Re: Having a baby after a seed implant

["Gibbs, S Julian" <s.julian.gibbs@vanderbilt.edu>]

I had intended to stay out of this debate.  However, a few 

technical corrections are in order.

First, it is not our business to advise the patient of the 

ethical aspects of conceiving additional children at his 

age.  We are not physicians.  Our business is to advise 

(typically to the patient's physician) of the radiation 

risk involved.

Two lines of events can happen to spermatogenesis from 

irradiation of the testis:

1. Early stages (e.g., spermatogonia) are most sensitive to 

the lethal effects of radiation.  These are deterministic 

effects.  If the dose is sufficient, there will be a period 

of reduced fertility or even sterility, which will occur 

some weeks to months postexposure.  The maturation time for 

human sperm, from spermatogonia A to mature spermatozoa, is 

about 10 weeks.

2.  Late stages, especially mature spermatozoa, are mose 

sensitive to minor alteration in DNA, typically called 

point mutations.  Thus, the period immediately after 

exposure is at greatest risk of passage of a mutation to 

the offspring.

>From the standpoint of genetic effects of radiation, the 

patient should be advised to refrain from conception until 

there is near complete turnover of the cells in the 

spermatogenic process.



***********************************************************

S. Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD               Voice: 615-322-1477

Professor, Emeritus                       FAX: 615-322-1474

Dept. of Radiology & Radiological Sciences

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

209 Oxford House

Nashville TN 37232-4245        Email:j.gibbs@vanderbilt.edu

***********************************************************

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress

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                                       Democracy in America







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