Abstract
Assessment and control of fetal exposure in the workplace is complicated by both biological and political/social ramifications. Because the embryo/fetus is more sensitive to radiation, its risk from radiological exposures is greater than the risk to adult radiation workers. The number of women employed as radiation workers has increased dramatically during the past 10 years, and some facilities have instituted fetal protection programs with special requirements for female radiation workers. It is necessary that programs developed to protect the fetus/embryo also meet the requirements of nondiscrimination against women that are set out by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. These requirements were addressed in part by a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding fetal protection policies, which indicated that employers may not bar women of childbearing age from certain jobs because of the potential risk to their fetuses. Several approaches to this problem can be taken, thus providing the maximum protection of the embryo/fetus and of the rights and responsibilities of the employees and employers. Areas where decisions must be made include the declaration of pregnancy by the worker, the methods used to train the workers, the determination of the appropriateness of work restrictions, the method of measuring and calculating the dose, and the recordkeeping.