Health Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

This module discusses the health impacts of ionizing radiation. It explores the possible exposure scenarios, describes methods for estimating the dose of radiation exposure, it highlights and identifies professionals you may need to collaborate with when estimating radiation exposure, and discusses the fetal health effects. This module assists clinicians in counseling patients regarding exposure to ionizing radiation during pregnancy.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss various scenarios in which pregnant women may be exposed to ionizing radiation.
• Describe ways to estimate the dose of radiation exposure to the fetus.
• Describe the importance of interprofessional collaboration in estimating radiation exposure to the fetus.
• Discuss the fetal health effects (cancer and non-cancer) from exposure to ionizing radiation.

Authors

Ziad Kazzi, MD, FACMT, FAAEM, FACEP, FAACT, Associate Professor Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology, Emory University Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units

James M. Smith PHD, CHP, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Health, Emory University, Consultant Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units

Continuing Education Information

Origination Date: October 14, 2019
Renewal Date: October 14, 2021
Expiration Date: October 14, 2023   

ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS:

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

CME:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CNE:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this activity for 1.1 nursing contact hours.

CEU: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU's for this program.

CECH: Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES^®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES^®) to receive up to 1.0 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Maximum advanced level continuing education contact hours available are 0. CDC provider number 98614.

For Certified Public Health Professionals (CPH) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a pre-approved provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits and is authorized to offer 1 CPH recertification credits for this program.

DISCLOSURE: In compliance with continuing education requirements, all presenters must disclose any financial or other associations with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or product(s) under investigational use.

CDC, our planners, our content experts, and their spouses/partners wish to disclose they have no financial interests or other relationships with the manufacturers of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services, or commercial supporters with the exception of Dr. Jerome A Paulson and he wishes to disclose occasional (1-2 times/yr.) consult to lawyers on lead poisoning cases.

Planning committee discussed conflict of interest with Dr. Jerome A. Paulson to ensure there is no bias.

Content will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or a product under investigational use.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units are jointly providing the CNE for this activity.

CDC did not accept commercial support for this continuing education activity.

DISCLAIMER: This material was supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and funded (in part) by the cooperative agreement FAIN: 5 NU61TS000237-05 along with the American College of Medical Toxicology and funded (in part) by the cooperative agreement FAIN: 5U61TS000238-05 from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Acknowledgement: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports the PEHSU by providing partial funding to ATSDR under Inter-Agency Agreement number DW-75-95877701. Neither EPA nor ATSDR endorse the purchase of any commercial products or services mentioned in PEHSU publications.

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