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Prenatal Exposure



REGARDING                Prenatal Exposure

I have been reviewing the draft Reg Guide on Instruction Concerning Prenatal Radiation Exposure.  It is stated in this document that no developmental effects at doses less than 5 rem have been observed in humans and that exposure before birth may be 2 or 3 times more likely to cause cancer over a person's lifetime (1 in 2000) at the regulatory limit.  Excessive alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are mentioned, but much of this discussion is correlations and very few numbers.  Somewhat abstract.  For comparison of risks for adults, there is the paper by Cohen in Health Physics and BEIR V. In my experience, people like comparisons that are straightforward and involve something that they can easily relate to (numbers like 1 in a million putting everything on an "equal" scale).  Which leads to my question -- Is there any document readily available discussing the risks involved with prenatal exposure at the regulatory limits comparing them to the risks involved with pregnancy in general and other occupational hazards?

Thanks for your help.

Elaine Marshall
Fermilab
P.O. Box 500
Batavia, IL  60510-0500
e:mail -- emarshall@fnal.gov