HEALTH OF CHILDREN BORN TO MEDICAL RADIOGRAPHERS

Objectives-To develop a reliable method for collecting information on reproductive outcome in an occupational setting; and to investigate th e health of children born to medical radiographers. Methods-The study population comprised 6730 members of the College of Radiographers who were, at the time of survey; aged between 30 and 64 years, on the curr ent membership file of the College, and were resident in Britain. Resu lts-The postal method developed proved to be reliable, with around 87% of questionnaires being returned. The observed frequencies of reprodu ctive events were broadly in line with findings from other studies: of the 9208 pregnancies reported, 83% were livebirths, 12% were miscarri ages (gestational age < 20 weeks), 1% were stillbirths (gestational ag e greater than or equal to 20 weeks), and 1% were other rarer spontane ous adverse events (ectopic pregnancy, blighted ovum, and hydatidiform mole). There was little difference between men and women in the frequ ency of adverse reproductive events reported, with the exception that male radiographers reported fewer medical terminations, the proportion s being 3 . 1% and 1 . 4% for women and men respectively. Among childr en, the overall risks of major congenital malformation (RR 1 . 0, 95%C I 0 . 9-1 . 2), chromosomal anomaly (RR 1 . 4, 95%CI 0 . 8-2 . 3), and cancer (RR 1 . 2 95%CI 0 . 7-2 . 0) were as expected based on general population rates. Borderline excesses of chromosomal anomalies other than Down's syndrome in the children of female radiographers (RR 3 . 9 , 95%CI 1 . 3-9 . 0, based on five observations), and cancer in the ch ildren of male radiographers (RR 2 . 7, 95%CI 0 . 9-6 . 5, based on fi ve observations) were noted. The numbers on which these risks are base d are small and the findings should be interpreted cautiously. Conclus ions-The postal methods developed for obtaining information about repr oductive events and child health proved to be reliable in men, as well as in women. Overall, the findings for medical radiographers are reas suring. Dose-response relations could not, however, be examined as lon g term dose records of radiographers are not routinely kept in an acce ssible form.