Mammograms, Radiation and Personal Responsibility

[Guest guest]

I'm not pro or con mammograms. I've seen them save lives and I hear

(and acknowledge) a lot of concern about radiation. I think it's

important for every woman to determine for herself the risks and

benefits of mammogram technology and to make her own, informed

decisions. And, I feel strongly that a mammogram should never take

the place of a monthly self-exam.

 

There are potentially hundreds or even thousands of women reading

these posts, some making decisions based on the opinions and fears of

others. Again, I'm not necessarily encouraging mammograms, but I am

encouraging women to take personal responsibility. Overcome fear and

empower yourselves with accurate information to make the choice

that's right for you.

 

A mammogram has a radiation dose of 0.7 mSv. The information below

provides some perspective.

 

Michelle

http://www.HolisticMenopause.com

 

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Naturally-occurring " background " radiation exposure

 

We are exposed to radiation from natural sources all the time. The

average person in the U.S. receives an effective dose of about 3 mSv

per year from naturally occurring radioactive materials and cosmic

radiation from outer space. These natural " background " doses vary

throughout the country.

 

People living in the plateaus of Colorado or New Mexico receive about

1.5 mSv more per year than those living near sea level. The added

dose from cosmic rays during a coast-to-coast round trip flight in a

commercial airplane is about 0.03 mSv. Altitude plays a big role, but

the largest source of background radiation comes from radon gas in

our homes (about 2 mSv per year). Like other sources of background

radiation, exposure to radon varies widely from one part of the

country to another.

 

To explain it in simple terms, we can compare the radiation exposure

from one chest x-ray as equivalent to the amount of radiation

exposure one experiences from our natural surroundings in 10 days.

A mammogram has a radiation dose of 0.7 mSv.