Future children of the exposed individual

DOE-HDBK-1131-98

General Employee Radiological Training

Student's Guide

For very large doses received over a short period of time, prompt

effects (i.e., effects that appear shortly after the exposure) ma y result.

These doses are received typically under accident conditions such as

the firefighters responding to the Chernobyl accident. These effects

may include reddening of the skin, vomiting, hair loss, or even death.

b. Future children of the exposed individual

Heritable effects (i.e., genetic changes to the parents sperm and/or

eggs that results in an observed effect in their offspring) from ionizing

radiation have been found in plants and animals, but have not been

observed in human populations. The risk of heritable effects from

ionizing radiation is considered to be very small when compared to

other naturally-occurring heritable effects and difficult to detect over

the natural background rate of birth defects.

3. Prenatal effects (EO2)

A developing embryo/fetus is especially sensitive to ionizing radiation.

Radiation is one of many agents that may cause harm to the embryo/fetus

(i.e., chemicals, heat, etc.). Significant radiation doses (>10,000 millirem)

to the embryo/fetus may increase the chances that the child will develop

conditions such as a small head size, lower birth weight, and/or slower

mental growth.