131-I Treatment and Risk to Later Pregnancy

Question

I would appreciate it if you could let me if a patient who has undergone radioactive iodine treatment for thyrotoxicosis and against the advice, she becomes pregnant with in 3months of treatment, what should be the exact advice given to her? If she say what is the risk to the baby and whether or not she should go for a termination?

Dr M Akber FRCP (London), England.

Response

Dr Akber,

Presumably the mother's ova received a radiation dose in the order of 5-10 rads, which is about the same as one CAT scan. Although I suppose any radiation has some potential for damage to DNA, the risk here is surely almost zero, andI believe you can reassure her that there is no recognized danger in this situation.

L De Groot, MD