Embryo protection during pregnancy. Myths and truths. New recommendations of the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP-84)

The prenatal exposures are a relevant topic in the field of radioprotection. These are a motive of very frequent consultation in this area, particularly in the cases of occupationally exposed workers or patients submitted to medical exposures of diagnosis of therapeutical character. Likewise the situations of accidental overexposure can involved pregnant women. In all these cases the insufficient knowledge regarding the risks can lead to wrong appraisals about the real magnitude of them. The underestimation can cause a non justified and avoidable exposure. In the opposite case, the overestimation can give place to discriminating conditions at working places and generate an excessive anxiety not only in the pregnant woman but in the involved professionals. The aim of this report is to analyze the effects of prenatal irradiation and the main factors to be considered for the estimations of the risk magnitude of 'in uterus' exposures in the different conditions in which these can occur