ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL EXPOSURE OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE MEDICAL FIELD: MONITORING AND LIMITING EFFECTIVE DOSE

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Santos, JAM (Author) Other; Rui Nunes (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Radiation Protection Dosimetry

Vol. 144

Pages: 525-529

ISSN: 0144-8420

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-TGJ

DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncq352

Abstract (EN): The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations for occupational exposed pregnant women do not imply necessarily the complete avoidance of work with radiation or radioactive materials. Instead, a careful review of the exposure conditions, once the pregnancy is declared, as part of the exercise of the ICRP optimisation principle (based in a teleological ethics point of view) is suggested. The dose limitation (following a deontological ethics point of view) of the fetus/embryo is, however, not clearly well established as happens in the case of workers or members of the public. Also, the justification of practices (to continue to work or not with radiation or radioactive materials) is not clearly addressed in most national or international recommendations. An analysis of this justification (bearing in mind both teleological and deontological ethics) is examined in this work having in mind the best interest of the child-to-be as well as other existing social and economical factors.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5