[Radiation effects of exposure during prenatal development].

The embryo and fetus are very radiosensitive during the total prenatal development period. The quality and extent of radiation effects depend strongly on the developmental stage at which the exposure occurs. During the preimplantation period radiation exposure can cause death of the embryo after radiation doses of 0.2 Gy and higher. Malformations are only observed in very rare cases when genetic predispositions exist. Macroscopic-anatomical malformations are induced only after irradiation during the major organogenesis. On the basis of experimental data with mammals it is assumed that a radiation dose of about 0.2 Gy doubles the malformation risk. Studies in humans give rise to the assumption that the human embryo is more radioresistant than the embryos of mice and rats. Radiation exposure during the major organogenesis and the early fetal period lead to disturbances in the growth and developmental processes. During early fetogenesis (week 8-15 post corruption) high radiosensitivity exists for the development of the central nervous system. Radiation doses of 1 Gy cause severe mental retardation in about 50% of exposed fetuses. Analysis of the dose-effect curves shows that there is probably a dose-effect curve with a threshold for this effect. It must be taken into account that radiation exposure during the fetal period also induces cancer. The studies, however, do not allow quantitative estimate of this radiation risk at present. It is therefore generally assumed that the risk is about the same level as for children.