What kind of birth defects does radiation cause?

The health consequences can be severe, even at radiation doses too low to make the mother sick. Such consequences can include stunted growth, deformities, abnormal brain function, or cancer that may develop sometime later in life.

What happens if baby is exposed to radiation?

Depending on the stage of fetal development, the health consequences of exposure at doses greater than 0.5 Gy can be severe, even if such a dose is too low to cause an immediate effect for the mother. The health consequences can include growth restriction, malformations, impaired brain function, and cancer.

What are the first symptoms of radiation exposure?

Initial signs and symptoms

• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Headache.
• Fever.
• Dizziness and disorientation.
• Weakness and fatigue.
• Hair loss.
• Bloody vomit and stools from internal bleeding.

What are the 5 most common birth defects?

The most common birth defects are:

• heart defects.
• cleft lip/palate.
• Down syndrome.
• spina bifida.

What are the effects of radiation during pregnancy?

They also suffered stunted growth (up to 4% shorter than average people) and an increased risk of other birth defects. Between the 18th week of pregnancy and birth, radiation-induced health effects (besides cancer) are unlikely unless the fetus receives an extremely large dose of radiation.

How much radiation can cause a miscarriage or birth defect?

Most diagnostic procedures expose the embryo to less than 50 mSv. 1 This level of radiation exposure will not increase reproductive risks (either birth defects or miscarriage). According to published information, the reported dose of radiation to result in an increased incidence of birth defects or miscarriage is above 200 mSv.

Can a baby be exposed to radiation before birth?

Radiation exposure before birth can increase a person’s risk of getting cancer later in life. Unborn babies are especially sensitive to the cancer-causing effects of radiation.

Can a baby be born with a birth defect?

Of the babies that survive, however, few will have birth defects related to the exposure, regardless of how much radiation they were exposed to. Large radiation doses to the fetus during the more sensitive stages of development (between weeks 2 and 18 of pregnancy) can cause birth defects, especially to the brain.