Birth defects due to radiation? Is that possible?

[jay121]

My spouse is awaiting medical retirement from the navy due to being exposed to radiation while on sea duty.  I'd like to know if there's any chance that if we have children in the future they could have some birth defects.

He knocked me up once, but I had a miscarriage (I got hurt while working, and well, the embryo...), so I know he's fertile.  Also, I knew a senior person who got exposed to radiation, and was only able to "make" girls and not boys (but they turned out fine). 

[jay121]

My spouse (a nuclear ET2 in Norfolk) has been exposed to radiation and because of that, he has tons of health issues.  He's awaiting medical retirement and he's getting out in January 2012. 

My concern is that due to his exposure to radiation, could our future children develop birth defects because of that?
And no, he's not infertile; he knocked me up earlier this year, but I had a miscarriage (I got hurt while working, and...).

Myself? I'm an IT3 (no, we didn't meet in the navy, but in a concert over a year ago).

[thenukeman]

His exposures in the Navy were probably so low that a average person in Denver probably has gotten more exposure than he has.   I would say it is close to 0 percent chance.  And the  Girl thing is probably more that he wore whitey tighteys keeping the sperm warm or that he ejaculated on the up stroke or both.  And of course it is statistically possible to flip a coin 3 times in a row and come up heads each time 12 percent of the  time or 6 percent for four girls. ( Did not say how many girls)
Sperm with the X Female chromosome, last longer but do not swim as well as Y Male sperm)  Heat kills male sperm more than female.  The altitude in Denver is what causes a higher dose than the average person gets at lower altitude.

Do you know what his exposures were per year??

[thenukeman]

Hereditary effects as a consequence of radiation exposure have not been observed in
humans. No hereditary effects have been found in studies of the offspring and grandchildren of the atomic bomb survivors. However, as based on animal models and knowledge of human genetics, the risk of hereditary deleterious effects have been estimated to not be greater than 10% of the radiation induced carcinogenic risk.

See more here in ICRP Report>>  http://ibis-birthdefects.org/start/cache/Radiation_ICRP.pdf

[retired nuke]

I'm pretty sure that his medical issues have nothing to do with radiation....at least not that received as an ET2 in the Navy.

His medical issues may or may not be inheritable.

You'd actually have to know what they were to be sure....

Good luck

[retired nuke]

My spouse is awaiting medical retirement from the navy due to being exposed to radiation while on sea duty.  I'd like to know if there's any chance that if we have children in the future they could have some birth defects.

He knocked me up once, but I had a miscarriage (I got hurt while working, and well, the embryo...), so I know he's fertile.  Also, I knew a senior person who got exposed to radiation, and was only able to "make" girls and not boys (but they turned out fine). 

I'm gonna have to raise the  on this one.....

[Marlin]

My spouse is awaiting medical retirement from the navy due to being exposed to radiation while on sea duty.  I'd like to know if there's any chance that if we have children in the future they could have some birth defects.

He knocked me up once, but I had a miscarriage (I got hurt while working, and well, the embryo...), so I know he's fertile.  Also, I knew a senior person who got exposed to radiation, and was only able to "make" girls and not boys (but they turned out fine). 

If you had just left it at medical retirement for radiation exposure I think I could have let it go as an innocent mistake but, do you have any idea how much radiation it takes to make you sterile,?,? About the same as the threshhold for lethal exposures. Radiation does not selectively damage the cell it interacts with and at the very low exposures received in the Navy would not cause systematic effects such as determining the gender of an offspring.

I suggest you listen to different sources. Ok, Ok, you did come here but you need to back up a little and double check why your spouse is being medically discharged and stop taking serious the person who told you about the offspring thing.

[HydroDave63]

My spouse (a nuclear ET2 in Norfolk) has been exposed to radiation and because of that, he has tons of health issues.  He's awaiting medical retirement and he's getting out in January 2012. 

My concern is that due to his exposure to radiation, could our future children develop birth defects because of that?
And no, he's not infertile; he knocked me up earlier this year, but I had a miscarriage (I got hurt while working, and...).

Myself? I'm an IT3 (no, we didn't meet in the navy, but in a concert over a year ago).

Ok, like the story says; I was in love (or should I say "in lust") with a nuke.  We met at a concert one day several months ago, and well, we had a brief, but intense romance full of wild nights, lots of Cheech and Chong movies

and while I was with him, I discovered he has all sorts of mental dissorders (he takes like four different medications), and I think he was also trying stuff that's not really legal for us (unformed services members), like spice and things like that.

And of course! Actual nukes who lost their security clearance due to insanity (yes, I had a boyfriend, a nuke ET2, who's going through this right now). 

Same guy, right?  Meds and "spice" will permanently twist the swimmer factory up a lot faster than the tiny and well-measured radiation exposure down in the plant.

[HydroDave63]

What channel is this soap opera on?

My guess would be Channel " 420 " on the MMJ network?

[Nuclear NASCAR]

I've merged the separate postings of the same question.

[thenukeman]

I censored myself and removed the nuclear baby video, even too rough for me.  Plus I do not think helpful in this forum.

[Higgs]

My spouse is awaiting medical retirement from the navy due to being exposed to radiation while on sea duty.  

Until you prove otherwise, I don't believe you. Unless some sort of serious accident occurred, this is a near impossibility..., then we'd hear about such an incident.

We here at NW.com have all been exposed to radiation, some many more times what your husband would have experienced ever in his life..., unless something bad happened.

I'll also be the first to apologize if I'm wrong. But if Vegas laid odds, I'd bet against a medical retirement due to radiation exposure.

[RDTroja]

Until you prove otherwise, I don't believe you. Unless some sort of serious accident occurred, this is a near impossibility..., then we'd hear about such an incident.

We here at NW.com have all been exposed to radiation, some many more times what your husband would have experienced ever in his life..., unless something bad happened.

I'll also be the first to apologize if I'm wrong. But if Vegas laid odds, I'd bet against a medical retirement due to radiation exposure.

I will go further than that and flat out state that someone here is being seriously misled... that's PC speak for being lied to, just in case you missed that. Nobody has been discharged for radiation exposure and the chances of any of us (and we in the commercial world get more exposure than the Navy folks) have radition exposure caused genetic effects are between slim and none. (And I think Slim has left the building.)

This whole thread reeks of  .

[HeatherB.]

Hello Crack Pot.... meet the kettle. Who ARE these people?

(*thanks for your service, but the theatrics are exhausting. Consider the source, no pun intended. Well.... kinda.)

[jay121]

Until you prove otherwise, I don't believe you. Unless some sort of serious accident occurred, this is a near impossibility..., then we'd hear about such an incident.

We here at NW.com have all been exposed to radiation, some many more times what your husband would have experienced ever in his life..., unless something bad happened.

I'll also be the first to apologize if I'm wrong. But if Vegas laid odds, I'd bet against a medical retirement due to radiation exposure.

He developed several diseases that were caused due to radiation (according to all the doctors that had examined him), and he's getting medically retired due to those diseases; he's not getting compensation due to radiation, but due to the complications provoked by the diseases that ARE a product of the radiation. 

Plus, this post is not about his problem but about problems with future offsprings.

[Higgs]

He developed several diseases that were caused due to radiation (according to all the doctors that had examined him), and he's getting medically retired due to those diseases; he's not getting compensation due to radiation, but due to the complications provoked by the diseases that ARE a product of the radiation. 

Plus, this post is not about his problem but about problems with future offsprings.

You are being lied to. Either way, I wouldn't worry about your future offsprings (sic).

[JsonD13]

I'd be interested to know what diseases these are (and the fact that there is more than one implied is especially interesting).  Given that only certain types of cancer are known to be caused by ionizing radiation, it would be interesting to find out if what this sailor has is one that the Navy considers automatically to be caused by ionizing radiation (if I remember right there are only about 7 of them though).

In mammals where genetic effects have occured (mice come to mind), it takes many generations to see the effects.  You would most likely be long dead prior to any family members exhibiting any effects that were potentially related to your husbands exposure.

Also to put things in perspective, 1000 mrem will increase your chance of dying from cancer by 0.04% (0.0004).  Since the accepted chance of genetic effects are 10% of the chance of cancer, the effects of 1000 mrem would be 0.004% (0.00004).  Being an ET2, and based off of the normal exposures that I saw while I was in, your husband has less than half of that exposure, which would give a risk to your offspring of 0.002% at most.

Jason 

[Chimera]

As an ETR2(SS) in the Navy, I received approximately 1.7 Rem of exposure (long story that needs at least a six-pack).  My lifetime exposure is approximately 28 Rem.  My kids (boys) are fine - although one was a Marine.  I'm sane (or so the voices in my head keep telling me) and, at 63, I'm in better health than the average person I meet in my peer group.

I think there are many other issues in play here and the radiation angle can be pretty much dismissed.

[Marlin]

He developed several diseases that were caused due to radiation (according to all the doctors that had examined him), and he's getting medically retired due to those diseases; he's not getting compensation due to radiation, but due to the complications provoked by the diseases that ARE a product of the radiation.  

Plus, this post is not about his problem but about problems with future offsprings.

I don't know who these doctors(?) are who told you this but I recommend a second opinion, are you sure they didn't say it was a possibility and not a fact.

Nuclear power and radiation exposure are no longer a new technology, there are mountains of data on the effects of radiation. The exposure permitted today is a fraction of that received by previous generations of radiation workers and none of them have had  birth defects in their children. With the exception of Japan were we dropped atomic bombs there has been no positive link to a birth defect from radiation in humans.

The Health Physic Society says:
http://hps.org/hpspublications/articles/pregnancyandradiationexposureinfosheet.html

Radiation Exposure to the Sperm from Diagnostic X-Ray Studies
There are no risks for genetic changes in the sperm if the testicle(s) has not been exposed. Testicular exposure and, therefore, sperm exposure may occur from some of the following diagnostic x-ray studies: (a) abdomen, hips, or pelvis, (b) lower spine, (c) bladder studies, intravenous pyelograms (IVPs), (d) fluoroscopy for urinary tract function, and (e) barium enemas (lower GI). Exposures to the sperm from these procedures are generally below 10 rad.  

The risk from radiation exposure of sperm prior to conception has been studied in two large populations. The concern by most patients is whether the radiation exposure to the sperm will result in birth defects. In one study, thousands of patients who were exposed to radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and had families were studied for the incidence of genetic disease and other reproductive effects. After 50 years of studying this population, there has been no demonstrable increase in genetic disease. What was learned is that the risk is extremely small and that you need very large populations to demonstrate this risk. In other words, the risk from the radiation is too small to be detected amid the spontaneous incidence of mutations and the hereditary component of mutations that may affect the offspring.

Similarly, men exposed to radiation therapy and receiving large doses of radiation that may have exposed the testes as well as chemotherapy with drugs and chemicals, which are mutagenic, have been studied by the National Cancer Institute. There are now several thousand patients who have survived cancer that occurred in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Families of these individuals also have not demonstrated an increase in birth defects or miscarriage.  

It is possible that infertility or sterility may result if the testes receive high exposures of radiation. Because of the theoretical risks, we advise men who have had even diagnostic exposures to radiation to wait for at least two spermatogenesis cycles, which is about four months. While these very low exposures that occur from diagnostic radiological procedures are so low that there probably is not even a measurable risk, we still make this recommendation of waiting following the radiation exposure.

[drayer54]

What ship and or boat is this guy on?

I'd make a wager that this is either a sad or a loonie with excuses. I'd also wager that I could find someone to confirm that.

Just saying.

Hello Crack Pot.... meet the kettle. Who ARE these people?

This is the one thing I miss on the boat. People you never thought existed with issues better or comparable to any daytime soap. My current job is full of stable adults with no major life drama.... yawn.

He developed several diseases that were caused due to radiation (according to all the doctors that had examined him), and he's getting medically retired due to those diseases; he's not getting compensation due to radiation, but due to the complications provoked by the diseases that ARE a product of the radiation.  
Plus, this post is not about his problem but about problems with future offsprings.

Run.... you wanted advice... RUN!

I have re-read this thread like 3 times now and laughed out loud each time. I understand as a dependant at home that you don't always have the best fact check abilities on the crap coming off the boat. However, you are getting a stack of crap so high that is laughable. I completely sympathize that you are probably in a tough spot because you may not know what to believe, but you need to call this guy out and ask him what the hell is going on. He did something wrong or couldn't take it anymore. Confront him and hope for the best because he is probably too afraid to come clean with you. Unless this guy has some strange case that is completely unprecedented..... He is not being honest with you.

[bill10249]

I have sad news  for the young lady. I a a radiation worker with over  40 Rem lifetime exposure with three kids 2 girls one boy. and I am sad to say each was  born  Naked  and having a Cracked Butt. But once we put close on them you couldn't see the crack so they live a fairly normal life. Now I have found out the cracked butt and naked syndrome has carried on  in my grand children.  Call green peace.

[thenukeman]

Drayer is right , RUUUUUN!!!  As XO of a training company I have seen lies Trainees told their family or their Drill Sargeant blow up in their face.   One mom was wondering why her son was home because he was waiting on IRR.  Individual Ready Reserve.  I told her he is no longer in the army and IRR is only for an National Emergency.  One soldier wanted to  go home because his girlfriend was raped.  I told him I was contacting the Red Cross to help him and get the number of the police department so I could contact them.  He decided that  it was not that important anymore.

I  would ask him to take you to meet with his commander or someone in charge of discharges.  If he refuses, RUUUUUUN,  If he was really irradiated and got diseases from that he would be receiving compensation from the goverment.  My dad got compensation for agent orange.  My mom now receives this compensation since my dad passed away.   My first 2 answers were really scientific answers to your problem.  I think Drayer has the right answer nut case or inability to adapt, This guy is not taking ownership of his problem is what I believe the real answer is. If I am wrong let me know.  Let us know what you find out.  RUUUUUN!!!

[MacGyver]

This tragedy never would have happened if we just would have embraced fusion.

Or just take our advice the first time.

I was in love with a nuke.

Ok, like the story says; I was in love (or should I say "in lust") with a nuke.  We met at a concert one day several months ago, and well, we had a brief, but intense romance full of wild nights, lots of Cheech and Chong movies, and lots musical creativity.  A surface nuke and an airdale IT;  Pretty, isn't it?

Well, that's not really why I'm posting this, but is the base of why I'm venting in here. I still care about him (the same way I would care for any other shipmate, despite we're not in the same command), and while I was with him, I discovered he has all sorts of mental dissorders (he takes like four different medications), and I think he was also trying stuff that's not really legal for us (unformed services members), like spice and things like that.  I even saw a letter that says "you're in risk of losing your security clearance due to possible mental illness", "you're in the risk of losing your NEC and getting reclassified", and tons of DoN letters with similar messages.

I'm worried about what could happen to him.  I want to help him, but I don't want to sound like I'm a snitcher either.

What can I do?

Execute a Williamson turn (good look up for SW quals) and make Flank bell away from the wreckage. He needs professional help, but the longer you stay in close proximity the greater likelihood your career will also take damage!

Sounds like trouble. Run!

Good advice here from HD and BZ.

You should be concerned for your proximity to the IMPLOSION ... and you being a 'surface airdale' let me explain it in my SS (submarine service) humor ...

Run deep, run fast, run like your life / career depended on it ... because it does.

Well, (in response to McGyver) in the aviation world that would be translated to "run like the wind", and even if I don't see him as often as we were together, I still see him around base every now and then, and he looks rather sad.  I don't talk to him that much anymore (he may think I want him back, which is not the case), but still...I guess I should stop all my ties with him.

Anyways, thanks for reading my post and for the pointers.

I am just saying ... This could have all been avoided.  And, why would you ask us for advice if you ignored it the first time?  Jus' sayin' ... YOU ARE BEING LIED TOO (by this guy).

[HousePuke]

He developed several diseases that were caused due to radiation (according to all the doctors that had examined him), and he's getting medically retired due to those diseases; he's not getting compensation due to radiation, but due to the complications provoked by the diseases that ARE a product of the radiation. 

Plus, this post is not about his problem but about problems with future offsprings.

This is just too funny!  If you are buying this, then I have some property for sale that you may be interested in.
Since it's "diseases" name even one.  Heck look them up on the internet and see if any are the result of exposure to radiation. 

[HousePuke]

If you don't or won't believe any of us, try this...
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/understand/health_effects.html

You do not need in depth knowledge of the biological effects of ionzing radiation to understand this.

Question, what is your S/O total exposure in Rem?