Lactating Women and Radiation

Potential Hazards to the Baby

When nuclear medicine examinations are requested for women who are breast-feeding, there is a potential radiation hazard to the baby. This arises from the uptake of certain radiopharmaceuticals in breast tissue, followed by excretion into the breast milk. The dose received by the baby depends on several factors, including:

• The type of radiopharmaceutical used.
• The amount of milk produced.
• The time between the administration of the radiopharmaceutical to the mother and the feeding of the child.

The mother also represents a source of external exposure and contamination when feeding or cuddling the baby. The dose to the baby depends on:

• The time the baby is held.
• The distance from the mother's body.
• The mother’s personal hygiene and care.

Restrictions and Advice

To minimize the exposure of the baby, some restrictions on breast-feeding and specific advice to the mother are necessary. A typical constraint on the dose from a single source of exposure (such as from a single nuclear medicine procedure) is 0.3 mSv per episode. These recommendations are designed to keep the baby's exposure at an acceptable level.

Key Steps Before a Nuclear Medicine Examination or Therapy

Before any nuclear medicine examination or radionuclide therapy, the woman should be asked, orally or in writing, whether she is currently breast-feeding. To assist with this process, a notice requesting the patient to inform staff about breast-feeding should be prominently displayed in the waiting area.

Considerations for Breast-Feeding Mothers

If the answer is "yes," then consideration should be given to whether the examination or treatment can reasonably be delayed until after breast-feeding has ceased. If delaying the procedure is not feasible, specific advice about restricting breast-feeding based on the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure should be provided to the patient.

Collaboration and Local Rules

It is the responsibility of the nuclear medicine specialist, in cooperation with the medical physicist, to establish local rules regarding breast-feeding and close contact between the mother and the child after a nuclear medicine examination or treatment. These rules should be based on recommendations provided by international and national authorities, as well as professional organizations.

Note: The advice provided should be tailored to the individual patient's situation, considering the specific radiopharmaceutical used and the timing of the procedure.

Important: Adhering to established safety guidelines and local rules is essential to minimize radiation exposure to both the mother and the baby.