This sheet is about exposure to paint in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is paint? In general, paint is made up of pigment particles (color) in a liquid base called the medium. There are two broad categories of paint: oil paints (oil/alkyd-based medium) or latex paints (water-based medium). Oil paints are thinned or cleaned with paint thinners including turpentine or mineral …
The Baby Blog: Workplace Exposures
Mold
This sheet is about exposure to mold in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare providers. What is mold? Molds are fungi that are able to live almost anywhere, indoors and outdoors. They grow best in warm, damp, and humid places, including water damaged areas. Molds can be different colors and can have a musty, earthy smell. They spread by releasing spores that can pass through the air and be carried on …
Ionizing Radiation in the Workplace
This sheet reviews working around ionizing radiation in medical work settings and outlines some resources available to help create a safe work environment. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is ionizing radiation? Radiation occurs when an item gives off energy. Radiation waves are generally invisible. They have no weight or odor. Radiation is grouped into two categories: non-ionizing and ionizing. Non-ionizing …
Toxoplasmosis
This sheet talks about exposure to or having toxoplasmosis in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. You can get it by eating infected meat that hasn’t been cooked properly, drinking water that is contaminated, or handling soil or cat feces that contain the parasite. Toxoplasma gondii can be …
Carbon Monoxide
This sheet talks about exposure to carbon monoxide in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your health care provider. What is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide is a gas. It has no color, smell, or taste. Small amounts of carbon monoxide are normally found in our bodies and in the air we breathe. Large amounts of carbon monoxide gas can be released from poorly working heaters, furnaces, grills, kerosene stoves, or other …
