Radiation and women of child bearing potential

Moves to revive the “10 day rule” may be premature

The “10 day rule” recommended that, in women of child-bearing potential, non-urgent x ray examinations that entailed pelvic irradiation should be restricted to the first 10 days of the menstrual cycle. Its rationale was to avoid irradiating a fetus before the mother realised that she was pregnant. In 1984, however, the International Commission on Radiological Protection reported that there was little, if any, risk of damaging the fetus during the first two weeks of gestation—that is before the first period was missed.1 The National Radiological Protection Board issued advice based on this statement,2 and the College of Radiographers and Royal College of Radiologists followed up with their joint guidelines.3 Since then, for examinations in which the uterus will be within or close to the irradiated area, radiographers and radiologists ask patients if there is any chance that they may be pregnant. If …