Heritable Effects - DOE-HDBK-1109-97

DOE-HDBK-1109-97

Radiological Safety Training for Radiation-Producing (X-Ray) Devices

Instructor's Guide

Lesson Plan

Instructor's Notes

Workers who become pregnant are encouraged to

10 CFR 835.206

declare their pregnancy in writing to their

supervisors. The dose limit for the embryo/fetus of

a declared pregnant worker is 500 mrem during the

term of the pregnancy; 10 CFR 835.206 (b) states

"Substantial variation above a uniform exposure

rate that would satisfy the limits provided in 10

CFR835.206 (a) [i.e., 500 mrem for term of

pregnancy] shall be avoided."

HERITABLE EFFECTS

Heritable effects are biological effects that are inherited

by children from their parents at conception. Irradiation

of the reproductive organs can damage cells that contain

heritable information passed on to offspring.

Radiation-induced hereditary effects have been

observed in large-scale experiments with fruit flies and

mice irradiated with large doses of radiation. Such

health effects have not been observed in humans.

Based on the animal data, however, the conservative

assumption is made that radiation-induced hereditary

effects could occur in humans.

Radiation-induced heritable effects do not result in

genetic diseases that are uniquely different from those

that occur naturally. Extensive observations of the

children of Japanese atomic bomb survivors have not

revealed any statistically significant hereditary health

effects.

Note: Congenital (teratogenic) effects are not heritable