Health Physics Questions and Answers - Question 382

Question 382: Do NRC regulations allow a declared pregnant woman to "undeclare" her pregnancy? If so, does this withdrawal of a previous declaration of pregnancy also oblige the licensee to withdraw restrictive measures and enhanced monitoring established solely to comply with related embryo / fetus dose limits?

Answer: Yes, to both questions. Under the regulations (which are consistent with the Supreme Court decision in the case of UAW vs. Johnson Controls), a woman has the right to choose whether or not to declare her pregnancy, including the right to revoke her declaration. It is the woman's right to choose, not the declaration of pregnancy, that is irrevocable. Note: A woman's withdrawal of her declaration of pregnancy does not alter the requirement of 10 CFR 20.2106 (e) that the licensee (continue to) maintain the records of dose to the embryo / fetus (that were prepared as a result of the woman's declaration of pregnancy). See Regulatory Guide 8.7, Rev. 1, Section 2.3, concerning reporting of the embryo / fetus dose on request of the monitored woman.

(Reference: 10 CFR 20.1208)