Workplace Pregnancy Safety Tips
Navigating pregnancy while working in a research environment can sometimes be tricky. Lab workers can come in contact with various hazards that can adversely affect reproduction. Unfortunately, most chemicals have not yet been evaluated for their reproductive effects, so potentially adverse effects may not even be known. Lab workers who are pregnant, nursing, or planning to conceive should consider consulting with AL’s Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) for confidential guidance without informing your advisor or Principal Investigator (PI). Reporting your condition is voluntary. AL’s CHO can assist you with evaluating the reproductive hazards associated with your research and make recommendations to help minimize your risk.
You are also encouraged to discuss all potential workplace hazards with your healthcare provider. This brochure published by the California Department of Health Services is a helpful resource to help start a conversation with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about potential workplace chemical exposure while pregnant.
Reproductive Hazards
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, reproductive hazards are substances or agents that may affect the reproductive health of women or men or the ability of couples to have healthy children. Reproductive hazards may be chemical, physical, or biological in nature. Examples include: lead (chemical), radiation (physical), and certain viruses (biological). Exposure can occur through ingestion, injection, inhalation, or absorption. Potential effects can include infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, and developmental issues in children.
Reproductive hazards can sometimes also cause other negative health effects. For example, ethylene oxide a carcinogen and can also harm developing fetuses.
If a chemical is a known reproductive hazard, its Safety Data Sheet (SDS) will identify these effects in Section 11, or Toxicological Information. It is especially important for all persons of childbearing age important to treat substances of unknown toxicity and all new compounds as potentially reproductively toxic substances. Elimination and substitution with a less hazardous material are the best options, but engineering controls, like fume hoods, and personal protective equipment can help you to avoid exposure. The following are examples of potential reproductive chemical hazards common in labs. This list is not exhaustive and SDS should always be consulted before any chemical use.
- Anesthetic gases (e.g., nitrous oxide, halothane, isoflurane)
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Formaldehyde and compounds containing formaldehyde, like formalin
- Organic Solvents (e.g., benzene, toluene, xylene)
- Pesticides
- Chemical Disinfectants
- Heavy Metals (e.g., lead, cadmium, cobalt, mercury)
Ergonomic Hazards
Ergonomic hazards can also be a concern for pregnant people. Pregnancy can affect your balance and range of motion. Pregnant people are also more susceptible to repetitive stress injuries, like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Your medical provider and AL’s CHO can help you address any ergonomic concerns that may arise from working in the field or the lab.
Although this video is geared more towards industrial work environments, the tips can also be applied to some of our work environments in the lab or the field: