Japan planning breast milk radiation tests

Kyung Lah – CNN - Friday, 13 January 2012 (originally published 12 Jan)

Masked mothers undergo radiation testing by masked doctor

A doctor checks the level of radiation on a woman at a treatment centre in Nihonmatsu city on March 13, 2011. Image: AFP/Getty Images

Tokyo (CNN) – Some new mothers in Japan may soon be adding radiation testing of their breast milk to their list of health checkups.

Government officials say they are considering widespread testing of breast milk samples of new mothers in Fukushima Prefecture, home of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Mothers in the prefecture have publicly held protests, expressing outrage over possible health effects of radiation from the plant affecting their newborns. About 18,000 babies are born each year in the prefecture. About half of those babies, according to the government, are breastfed . . .

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