Why isnt the developing child protected from all unwanted environmental hazards?


Important signs to watch for if you are pregnant

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  • Bad cramps or stomach pains that don't go away
  • Bleeding or a trickle or gush of fluid from your vagina
  • Lower back pain/pressure or change in lower back pain
  • A feeling that the baby is pushing down
  • Contractions or change in the strength or number of them
  • An increase in the amount of vaginal discharge
  • Fever, chills, dizziness, vomiting or a bad headache
  • Blurry vision or spots before your eyes
  • Sudden or severe swelling of your feet, hand or face
  • A significant change in your baby's movements

Go to a hospital right away and contact your doctor/midwife if you have any of these symptoms!

Adapted with permission from:
Best Start: Ontario's Maternal Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre

Your environment - home & work

Environmental concerns when pregnant | Working through your pregnancy |

Environmental concerns when pregnant

Exposure to certain substances in the environment when you are pregnant may affect your pregnancy or the health of your baby. Toxic substances increase the risk for birth defects, low birth weight, prematurity and miscarriage.

It's important for you to be aware of the things you come in contact with in your environment that may affect you or your pregnancy. Harmful substances can enter your body if you breathe, touch or swallow them.

Toxic Substances

Some chemicals can circulate in the mother's blood, pass through the placenta, and reach the developing fetus. Other harmful agents can affect the overall health of the woman and reduce the delivery of nutrients to the baby.

  • Avoid exposure to toxic substances that may be in the home or workplace, such as lead and mercury. Lead is found in many things such as exhaust, soil and paint. Occupational exposures are also an area of concern.
  • Use latex (water-based) paint in a well-ventilated area if you are painting when pregnant. Never use oil-based paints.
  • Avoid paint thinners, varnish removers and substances such as lacquer. Many solvents give off volatile compounds that can put you at greater risk of pre-eclampsia (pregnancy induced high blood pressure).
  • Consider using vegetable-derived dyes as an alternative to hair dyes. It is not clear whether hair dyes cause harmful effects for the fetus.
  • Avoid cleaners that are toxic or have harsh fumes.
  • Avoid lawn chemicals, weed killers and pesticides during pregnancy.
  • Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them.

X-Rays

Avoid having medical and dental x-rays or CT scans while you are pregnant. Radiation can pass directly through the mother's body and harm the baby. Make sure to let your health-care provider know that you are pregnant to prevent unnecessary x-rays during pregnancy.

Hot Tubs

When you are pregnant, extreme heat can make your body temperature too high. If your body temperature is elevated for a prolonged period, it can cause birth defects in the baby. Be safe. Avoid hot tubs and saunas.

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Pregnant women should take steps to minimize their exposure to all chemicals. If possible, avoid eating and drinking from tableware or bottles made of polycarbonate plastic. Follow Canada's Food Guide and eat a variety of food. Fresh or frozen foods are preferable to canned foods, if possible. Use glass dishes for microwaving foods. Never microwave polycarbonate plastic dishes.

For more information:

Region of Peel - Public Health
905-799-7700
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
to speak with a Public Health Nurse

Caledon residents call free of charge at 905-584-2216

Pesticides and Pregnancy
Health Canada

Revised: Monday August 12 2019

Potential hazards and pollutants may lurk around almost every corner – they may be in a child’s toy, in the air, in the water and food they eat, or in everyday household items.

But armed with information, pregnant women and parents can take steps to limit their children’s exposure to environmental hazards and give them a healthy start in life.

Two leading experts in the field of children’s environmental health separated reality from the myth about health hazards in every day life.

Frederica P. Perera, DrPH, director of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health and Maida P. Galvez, MD, MPH, FAAP, director of the Mount Sinai Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) presented the latest research on long-term health consequences of exposure to plastics, air pollution, lead and pesticides.

“We have learned a lot in recent years about what we can do to protect babies from environmental hazards and there are steps parents can take to lower their children’s exposure to pollutants,” said Dr. Diane Ashton, March of Dimes deputy medical director.

The March of Dimes urges pregnant women avoid known hazards, such as:

  • Cigarette smoke, including secondhand smoke by quitting smoking and asking people not to smoke around them.
  • Chemicals with strong smells, like turpentine, paint thinner or paint by wearing gloves or a face mask.
  • Insecticides and pesticides, such as bug spray and weed killer.
  • Plastics with the number 3, 6 or 7 on the bottom which means that they are made with phthalates, polystyrene foam or bisphenol A, which may have a harmful affect on children’s development.
  • Let your health care provider or dentist know if you are pregnant before getting an X-ray.

For more information visit Your baby's environment page on marchofdimes.org.

What factors make children more vulnerable to environmental exposures?

Children are not little adults—their bodies are not the same as adult bodies. Because they are small and still developing, they are more easily exposed to environmental contaminants and here's why: Children breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food per pound of body weight than adults.

How can we protect newborns from environmental hazards?

Help children breathe easier Dust, mold, certain household pests, secondhand smoke, and pet dander can trigger asthma attacks and allergies. Limit outdoor activity on ozone alert days when air pollution is especially harmful. Walk, use bicycles, join or form carpools, and take public transportation.

Which theorist proposed that a person might feel badly about themselves if they were not married by a certain age?

Which theorist proposed that a person might feel badly about themselves if they were not married by a certain age? Bernice Neugarten proposed the social clock theory, which explains that there are expectations for life events. If a person doesn't meet them at a certain time, it could affect their self-esteem.

What is the main function of the prenatal environment quizlet?

What is the main function of the prenatal environment? Protecting the fetus.

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