Estimate of doses to the fetus during commercial flights.

This study assesses the radiation exposure from cosmic rays to fetuses of pregnant aircrew and air travelers. Combining the particle fluence spectra of various cosmic radiations at aircraft altitudes with the fetal fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients calculated for different cosmic ray radiations, the doses to the fetal body were estimated for three prenatal ages. From the five major particle types present during commercial flights, neutrons contribute about 54% of the total fetal dose, followed by protons 22%, photons 11%, electrons 7%, and muons 6%. The results indicate that the dose to the fetus can exceed a recommended fetal dose limit of 1 mSv after 10 round trips on commercial flights between Toronto and Frankfurt.