Pregnancy and In Flight Cosmic Radiation

Radiation is all around us. It is naturally present in our environment and has been since the birth of this planet. Consequently، life has evolved in an environment which has significant levels of ionizing radiation. It comes from outer space (cosmic)، the ground (terrestrial)، and even from within our own bodies. It is present in the air we breathe، the food we eat، the water we drink، and in the construction materials used to build our homes. Certain foods such as bananas and Brazil nuts naturally contain higher levels of radiation than other foods. Brick and stone homes have higher natural radiation levels than homes made of other building materials such as wood. Several hundred thousand cockpit and cabin crew worldwide are occupationally exposed to cosmic radiation، and the number of frequent flyers is steadily increasing. Our understanding of the health effects of cosmic radiation has been advanced through recent scientific studies focusing on aircrew. Although the risk inferred to the fetus by cosmic radiation is very small but it is not negligible. In this review we try to introduce the risks and current recommendations for those who wish to scheduel their flights to avoid endangering their offsprings.