Oregon Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division

Rule Rule 333-120-0170
Radiation Dose Limits: Dose to an Embryo/Fetus

(1)

The licensee or registrant must ensure that the dose equivalent to an embryo/fetus during the entire pregnancy, due to occupational exposure of a declared pregnant woman does not exceed five mSv (0.5 rem). Records must be kept in accordance with OAR 333-120-0650 (Records of Individual Monitoring Results).
NOTE: A woman is not a declared pregnant woman unless she says so in writing without being coerced. Unless a woman, who also is a radiation worker, has declared her pregnancy as required, she is to be treated as any other radiation worker. Pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, no employer may restrict a fertile female’s job because of concern for the health of the fetus that a woman might conceive. The court held that sex-specific fetal-protection policies are forbidden. Additionally, a female worker legally can declare pregnancy if she does not yet have documented medical proof. The document, “Instruction Concerning Prenatal Radiation Exposure,” discusses declared pregnancy. It is available from Public Health Division, Radiation Protection Services Suite 640, 800 N.E. Oregon St., Portland, OR 97232, phone (971) 673-0490.

(2)

The licensee or registrant must make efforts to avoid substantial variation above a uniform monthly exposure rate to a declared pregnant woman so as to satisfy the limit in section (1) of this rule.

(3)

The dose equivalent to an embryo/fetus must be taken as the sum of:

(a)

The deep-dose equivalent to the declared pregnant woman; and

(b)

The dose equivalent to the embryo/fetus from radionuclides in the embryo/fetus and radionuclides in the declared pregnant woman, If the dose equivalent to the embryo/fetus is found to have exceeded 0.5 rem (5 mSv), or is within 0.05 rem (0.5 mSv) of this dose, by the time the woman declares the pregnancy to the licensee, the licensee shall be deemed to be in compliance with subsection (3)(a) of this rule if the additional dose equivalent to the embryo/fetus does not exceed 0.05 rem (0.5 mSv) during the remainder of the pregnancy.

(4)

If the dose equivalent to the embryo/fetus is found to have exceeded five mSv (0.5 rem), or is within 0.5 mSv (0.05 rem), by the time the woman declares the pregnancy to the licensee or registrant, the licensee or registrant shall be deemed to be in compliance with section (1) of this rule if the additional dose to the embryo/fetus does not exceed 0.5 mSv (0.05 rem) during the remainder of the pregnancy.
NOTE: If a pregnant radiation worker declares in writing to the licensee that she is pregnant, the dose limit to the embryo/fetus is five mSv (0.5 rem) during the entire pregnancy. The dose that is controlled is the dose to the embryo/fetus, not the dose to the woman, although for external penetrating radiation, the two are virtually synonymous.
Source

Last accessed
Jun. 8, 2021

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