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An updated evidence review and synthesis highlights the limitations of guidelines for managing potential occupational hazards for workers who are pregnant or nursing, reports the August issue of the
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The special review by a team of three Michigan medical students draws attention to the scarce and variable information on the reproductive health risks of occupational exposures. To illustrate an approach occupational health professionals can use for specific hazards, the authors present a "consolidated summary" of reproductive health guidance for four common workplace exposures:
- Lithium. While lithium has known reproductive risks, current resources provide "no guidance specific to female reproductive health." Occupational lithium exposure is an emerging hazard due to its use in electric vehicle battery manufacturing.
- Lead. Although current guidelines address the known reproductive hazards of lead, they vary in terms of suggested actions and exposure limits. "Lead highlights the importance of reviewing multiple sources to fully understand the potential reproductive hazard of a substance," the researchers write.
- Heavy lifting. Available resources offer "comprehensive guidance" for managing the potential reproductive risks of excessive physical exertion, focused on avoiding repetitive motion, heavy lifting, and prolonged standing.
- Extreme temperatures. Current resources summarize the effects of extreme heat on pregnancy and infertility. However, the researchers note the "lack of standardized guidance" on these risks, and none on the risks of exposure to extreme cold.
The review supports the framework presented by the influential 2016 ACOEM Guidance Statement
(PDF link) "by consolidating reproductive health-specific guidance and relevant literature to facilitate more efficient clinical decision-making."
For each of the four exposures, the authors identify the best available reference guide. When specific recommendations are lacking, health care teams are encouraged to perform a thorough review of available guidance related to reproductive hazards and other current research literature.
"[O]ur work provides a standardized and compiled set of guidance for assessing chemical and physical hazards at worksites," the researchers conclude. They hope their paper will help to make reproductive health counseling more accessible to workers who are pregnant, nursing, or concerned about fertility.
About the Author
Lead author Anna VanderLaan, BS, may be contacted for interviews at annavanderlaan(at)oakland.edu
Read the full article here:
https://www.ovid.com/jnls/joem/abstract/10.1097/jom.0000000000003714~pregnancy-in-the-workplace-addressing-gaps-in-reproductive?redirectionsource=fulltextview