Are there risks for contact w pregnant people?

spitnspunk

I  really don't know what forum to put this question in, so this seems as good as any:

Can anyone tell me if they know of any risks of being around a pregnant relative while going through radiation and chemo? I had the internal radiation and my own Dr (the head of the radiation center) told me that I was not at all radioactive once they removed the seeds and I left the treatment room. I also have asked about chemo and told there is no risk. On the contrary, a pregnant relative appears to have gotten some rather disturbing info from a nurse friend of theirs and I figured I can't be the only one going through this that has/had a pregnant relative. Anyone?  

in_cognito

The only real risk that you pose to a pregnant woman is if she is around you while getting chemo and she gets exposed to the chemo.  She could get exposed to the chemo in RARE ways such as through bodily fluids (vomiting and urine).  This is pretty rare though for your case as she would only be exposed to this if you were on a bedpan and she was cleaning up after you which I am sure is not the case.  Also, if she sat with you during chemo and the infusion nurse made a huge mistake and pierced the bag the wrong way and caused spillage that could be another way your relative would be exposed.   

I would double check with your radiation doctor about the internal radiation device though and mention that you would be around a pregnant relative - I'm not sure about that one.   

eileen1955

I haven't heard that it's dangerous to be around pregnant women while going thru chemo.  But internal radiation renders patients unable to fly home on a plane; so that pt surely should not be around pregnant pts until it is out of their system.

Here's the issue I dealt with 18 yrs ago when my dad went threw chemo. My two yr old could not have any live virus vaccinations b/c my dad's immume system was low and he could have develped the issue.  so I requested that she be given inactivated polio rather than the live vaccine.

I remember thinking "It's a good thing I knew to asK" b/c my dad's oncologist NEVER mentioned it and I sat in the office with my baby on many occasions. so good for you for looking into these things.      I am not current on child immunizations now but the pregnant woman you know can ask her pediatrician.

spitnspunk

Thanks for the responses! My rads are way over now so I'm okay on that, and so far what I've found out on Chemo is that I am not a threat to anyone pregnant..now I hope they find out the same from their OBGyn instead of listenting to lipwagging from Nurse Not-so-do-good.