Top chemical pregnancy resources

At least 26 substances have been linked to problems for pregnant women, including lead, alcohol,mercury,carbon monoxide,benzene, and toluene. Some of these substances also affect male fertility. Quite a few jobs expose workers to teratogens, or chemical or physical agnets that are harmful to a developing fetus, health-care and laboratory jobs, hairdressing and cosmetology, housecleaning, laundry and dry cleaning, and factory work may all expose you to potentially harmful chemicals or infectious agents. These substances can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or taken in by mouth. For most effect and dose above which problems can occur. In some instances this "no effect" level of exposure can be measured, such as when X-ray technicians wear exposure badges. Often, it cannot be. It would be wise to evaluate the potential reproductive effect of any workplace exposures prior to trying to conceive.

If you are a doctor, nurse, laboratory technician, or other health-care worker, you may find yourself exposed to several hazards. These include infectious diseases such as herpes, CMV, and AIDS. Other risky exposures are to anesthetic gases and some cancer drugs, as well as chemicals used for sterilization and radiation. Most of these exposures are minor and usually cause no demonstrable problems, but minimizing exposure before and during pregnancy is certainly recommended.