By Ginger Nichols, Licensed Certified Genetic Counselor at MotherToBaby Connecticut

The New Year often brings thoughts of finding a new job. Even those happy in their current occupations often use the New Year to jump start career advancements. If you are thinking about a pregnancy, or you are already pregnant or breastfeeding, chances are you have also started to think more about potential exposures that might be of concern.

As a prenatal genetic counselor, I have noticed a common trend among working women. Many women do not worry very much about potential work hazards when first starting their careers. However, once they start to plan a pregnancy or find out that they are pregnant, many women call to ask about job safety. With a new life is on their minds, many women start to view their environment more critically.

For those of you planning a pregnancy, now is a great time to ask your questions about workplace safety with your healthcare providers or to contact a MotherToBaby specialist. Researching possible occupational exposures prior to pregnancy can allow time to decide if extra safety measures should be considered. Don’t forget to think about occupational exposures that your partner might be facing.

Occupational hazards can include:

• chemicals,
• metals,
• anesthetic gases,
• ionizing radiation,
• loud noise,
• extreme heat or extreme cold,
• strenuous physical exertion,
• repetitive movements,
• whole body vibration,
• infectious agents (viruses, diseases),
• injury,
• emotional stress and
• changing shift rotations.

In general, exposures can happen through: inhaling substances (e.g., breathing a gas, powder, dust or vapor into your lungs), absorption through skin, or ingestion (i.e., eating or drinking).

Sometimes, workers carry hazardous substances (dust, powder, chemicals, metal flakes) home on their shoes or clothing. This is one of the reasons that it is also important talk to your partner or other adults living in your home about their workplace.

While the list of potential hazards looks long, we should remember that just because we work around a potential hazard, it does not mean that we are actually exposed to the hazard. More importantly, employment has generally been considered beneficial for maternal health and birth outcomes. This is due to the financial and social benefits of working, and some call it the “healthy worker effect”. Most of the health problems that have been associated with workplace exposures do not affect our ability to get pregnant or to carry a healthy pregnancy to term.

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers (your bosses) to make the workplace safe for their workers. But, workplace safety measures were mainly created with adults (men and non-pregnant women) in mind; not a developing baby. In addition, workplace hazards that might affect a pregnancy are difficult to research. Therefore, your healthcare providers might not always know how a true exposure could affect a pregnancy. However, by following proper safety procedures, workplace exposures will likely be kept below levels that would affect your health or a pregnancy.

What should I be ready to discuss if I am worried about possible exposures at my workplace?

1. Employer/Job title
2. How long you’ve been working there
3. Description of job tasks, during and prior to pregnancy
4. Exposures that you are worried about
5. Personal protective equipment used (such as gloves, gowns, masks, or eyewear)
6. Ventilation at the work site (e.g., are there Hoods? Air Handlers? Fans? Windows that can open?)
7. Eating or drinking at the work site (e.g., do you store your food in an area that is designated only for that purpose?)
8. Any health symptoms in you or coworkers
9. Any reports available, such as blood lead levels, air quality reports, or water report.
   1. Sometimes an industrial hygienist will come to a work site to visually look at the work place or to take test samples (air, water, surfaces) for contamination.
10. For those who work around chemicals, they may ask about Safety Data Sheets (more on these below).
11. Other jobs/hobbies during pregnancy

What are Safety Data Sheets?

The best way to find out what chemicals are in the product(s) you use at work, or products that are used around you, is to get a copy of the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) (previously called Material Safety Data Sheets, or MSDS). SDS are prepared by chemical manufacturers and outline information on the product. Your workplace is required to have the SDS readily available to workers for all hazardous chemicals used at a worksite. Most SDS / MSDS can also be downloaded from the internet.

Along with listing hazardous ingredients, the SDS will talk about how to handle and store the product. The sheet should also talk about any specific recommendations for PPE and how to clean a spill or how to apply immediate first aid in case of accidental exposure.

Sometimes, a hazardous ingredient may be listed as “trade secret” or “proprietary formulation”. One can try to learn more about the chemicals in the proprietary formulation by contacting the manufacturer at the address or telephone number listed on the SDS. If a product contains no hazardous ingredients, it will be listed as such.

Along with a list of ingredients considered hazardous, the SDS may also discuss allowable levels of exposure. You may have heard of these limits by the terms: the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) or Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). TLVs and PELs are limits for the maximum exposure allowed in the workplace. Industrial hygienists can perform workplace assessments to determine if there are exposures that are above allowable levels. These limits are designed to minimize health effects in nonpregnant workers. So it cannot be assumed that exposure levels below the TLV or PEL will be safe for a pregnant woman and/or her fetus.

What kind of safety protection can be used?

All work places should provide the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for handling and working around hazardous situations. Some examples of PPE include gloves, shoes, aprons, gowns, ear protection, masks, and/or ventilation such as hoods and air filters.

• Use the PPE that is recommended for your job.
• Use PPE at all times, not just when pregnant.
• Keep your training on how to properly use the PPE up to date.
• Make sure hoods, respirators, and other equipment are working properly.
• If you wear PPE (such as a respirator), be sure it fits correctly. And keep in mind: as a woman’s body changes during pregnancy, PPE may need to be re-fitted.
• If you wear a respirator, remember that respirators are not a substitute for appropriate permanent exhaust ventilation (such as fume hoods, exhaust ducts and/or exhaust fans). Respirators are designed to be used only for a short period of time.
• If the right PPE is not currently at your worksite, ask your employer about getting it.

Consider talking with an occupational health specialist or industrial hygienist who may be able to provide information that is specific to your workplace.

How can I learn more about ways to reduce my exposure to potential hazards in my workplace?

MotherToBaby has a fact sheet that discusses general tips on working safely called Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace. There are some other fact sheets on specific occupational exposures, such as infectious diseases, lead, paint, and pesticides. There are also specific workplace sheets that look at working in a veterinary setting, in a nail salon, and for those who work with x-ray machines. Our entire library of fact sheets can be accessed by visiting https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets-parent/.

You can also contact an industrial hygienist or occupational medicine specialist. Try looking for them at a local medical university or through the American Industrial Hygiene Association: https://www.aiha.org/about-ih/Pages/Find-an-Industrial-Hygienist.aspx. Industrial hygienists should be able to provide an independent assessment on ways to improve the safety of your job, if needed, and may be able to give advice on how to work with employers in implementing these changes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a free service called Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE), which can provide you or your employer advice about health hazards that might be in your workplace and can offer tips on how to make your workplace safer. To learn more, visit the NIOSH website at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/.

Happy New Year, New Job, and New Baby.

Ginger Nichols is a licensed certified genetic counselor based in Farmington, Connecticut. She currently works for MotherToBaby CT, which is housed at UCONN Health in the Division of Human Genetics, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Sociology from Juniata College and her Master’s Degree in Medical Genetics from the University of Cincinnati. She has a special interest in occupational and environmental exposures.

About MotherToBaby

MotherToBaby is a service of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), suggested resources by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, please call MotherToBaby toll-FREE at 866-626-6847 or try out MotherToBaby’s new text information service by texting questions to (855) 999-3525. You can also visit MotherToBaby.org to browse a library of fact sheets about dozens of viruses, medications, vaccines, alcohol, diseases, or other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding or connect with all of our resources by downloading the new MotherToBaby free app, available on Android and iOS markets.

Selected References:

Feinberg JS & Kelley CR (1998) Pregnant Workers: A Physician’s Guide to Assessing Safe Employment; West J Med; 168(2): 86-92.

Frazier L & Hage M (1998) Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Frazier L, Jones T (2000) Managing Patients with Concerns About Workplace Reproductive Hazards. JAMWA 55(2): 80-84.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). 2017. Committee Opinion Number 313. The Importance of Preconception Care in the Continuum of Women’s Health Care. Available at: https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Gynecologic-Practice/The-Importance-of-Preconception-Care-in-the-Continuum-of-Womens-Health-Care

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND THE WORKPLACE. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/healthcare.html

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Employer Responsibilities. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/employer-responsibility.html

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Hazard Communication Safety Data Sheets: https://www.osha.gov/Publications/HazComm_QuickCard_SafetyData.html

Providing Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Exposure Information to Southeastern U.S. Residents

MotherToBaby Georgia specialists answer questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding for residents in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Mississippi. We also offer educational webinars, presentations, and trainings to community agencies, professional organizations, and healthcare providers. MotherToBaby Georgia is funded by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. We are housed within the Center for Maternal Substance Abuse and Child Development at Emory University’s School of Medicine.

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Contact Us

855.789.6222 (toll free)
Mothertobaby@emory.edu
Hours: Open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm ET except federal holidays
Languages: English

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MotherToBaby Georgia Newsletter

Our staff also write newsletters on topics of interest to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Take a look at some of the topics we’ve covered below:

• Allergy Medications: Options During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
• Understanding Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
• The Flu Shot and Pregnancy
• Congenital Syphilis and Pregnancy
• Gestational Diabetes
• Medications and Breastfeeding
• Getting a Tattoo while Pregnant or Breastfeeding
• Depression and Breastfeeding
• Drinking While Nursing

“I’m worried. I can’t sleep. It’s anxiety.” The message came through from Natalie a few minutes after I had logged onto our live chat service at MotherToBaby.org. “I’m 14 weeks pregnant and concerned about taking a SSRI” she continued. As a Teratogen Information Specialist, I answer questions about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding on a daily basis, and I was happy to chat with Natalie about this topic.

Natalie had just returned from a visit to her OB/GYN’s office where she was diagnosed with anxiety. She had shared with her doctor that she was having trouble eating and sleeping, and was experiencing racing thoughts and constant worry about the future. Natalie’s OB/GYN was concerned that what she was describing was more than the typical pregnancy concerns that many women have. She recommended that Natalie start on an SSRI to help manage her symptoms.

Natalie knew she needed to do something to deal with her anxiety, but she was reluctant to take any medication. “I’ve read online that SSRIs can cause the baby to experience withdrawal symptoms, and I would never want to do anything to hurt my baby!” she quickly typed. “Instead of taking this medication, would it be better for me to just suffer through the next 26 weeks so my baby will be born ok?”

Natalie’s question was not uncommon. Here in the United States, anxiety affects about 6.8 million adults, and women are twice as likely as men to have this mood disorder. Furthermore, about 6% of women will develop anxiety at some point during their pregnancy. Non-medication approaches may be an effective first-line treatment for certain individuals. Some women benefit from daily meditation or exercise. For others, opening up to a friend or attending talk therapy sessions may help. Natalie had tried all of these options in her first trimester, and unfortunately her anxiety was getting worse.

I knew Natalie wanted a quick answer to her question about withdrawal, but I told her that first it was important for us to review just how necessary it was for her to treat her mood disorder. I applauded Natalie for recognizing the symptoms of anxiety, and having an honest conversation with her doctor about how she was feeling. Next, I let her know that many women think that suffering through these feelings during pregnancy may be the best option. However, we know that anxiety can actually cause problems on its own when left untreated. Studies have identified an increased risk for preterm birth (baby born before 37 weeks) and low birth weight when women do not properly treat their anxiety during pregnancy. Women with untreated anxiety may also have more trouble bonding with their baby both during pregnancy and after delivery. Lastly, a personal history of anxiety prior to or during pregnancy is a known risk factor for developing a serious mood disorder after giving birth.

Natalie completely understood the importance of weighing the risks vs. the benefits. Her niece had been born premature and she has seen firsthand just how scary that experience was for her sister. She agreed that treating her anxiety was important.

Natalie’s doctor had recommended that she start on sertraline (Zoloft), which belongs to a class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Other medications in this class include citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil), to name a few. The SSRIs are well studied, which means that we have a good idea of what the effects might be when a woman takes one of these medications during pregnancy. Withdrawal (also known as neonatal adaptation syndrome) is one of those known effects.

Babies of women who are taking an SSRI at the time of delivery may have some difficulties in the first few days of life. Reported symptoms include jitteriness, increased muscle tone, irritability, constant crying, changes in sleeping patterns, tremors, difficulty eating, and problems with breathing. Not every baby will experience these symptoms. For the SSRI medications, it is estimated that 10-30% of babies will be affected.

Some babies with symptoms of withdrawal may need to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to receive additional care. However, in most cases the symptoms are mild and go away within two weeks. Reassuringly, there does not seem to be a dose-response relationship, which means that women who need a higher amount of medication to manage their anxiety are not expected to have babies who are at a higher risk for withdrawal.

“I feel so much better after chatting with you, and I really feel like this withdrawal issue can be managed if I plan ahead” Natalie said. “I think it’s going to be in my baby’s best interest for me to start taking this medication as soon as possible to get my anxiety under control.” I was glad that Natalie had reached out to chat with us about this issue. It can be a complex topic, but certainly not an uncommon one. Now armed with the most current information available, Natalie can make the best choice for her and her baby

References:

• U.S. anxiety stats: https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/illnesses/generalized-anxiety-disorder.html
• Pregnancy anxiety stats: http://www.postpartum.net/learn-more/anxiety-during-pregnancy-postpartum/
• Postpartum Anxiety: https://www.anxiety.org/postpartum-anxiety-risk-factors
• Medications used to treat anxiety: https://adaa.org/finding-help/treatment/medication

“I just found out I’m pregnant. Can I keep drinking my energy shake in the mornings?”
“My doctor gave me the go-ahead to work out. Okay to have a protein shake after the gym?”
“My immunity-boosting drink is a life-saver. Can I keep using it while I’m pregnant?”

These are common questions during pregnancy, and ones that we hear a lot at MotherToBaby. Perhaps you’ve wondered the same thing yourself. As teratogen information specialists, we provide facts about how a woman’s exposure in pregnancy might affect her developing baby. So, when we get questions about shakes, powders and other nutritional supplements in pregnancy, we look to the research. And that research, or lack of it, leads us to caution women against drinking that favorite nutritional shake while they’re pregnant. Here’s why:

Lack of FDA approval
Nutritional shakes and powders fall under the category of “supplements.” Supplements aren’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the way that food and medicines are. The FDA does set out safety requirements for supplements, but the manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that their own products meet those requirements (kind of like a home builder inspecting their own house.) This means that shake makers and other manufacturers can put their products on the market without proving their safety, or even showing that the products actually do what they claim they will. Once a supplement is on the market, the FDA relies mostly on consumers’ reports to alert them of side effects or other problems that could lead to warnings or recalls.

This is not to say that all supplement makers are unscrupulous or careless. Many manufacturers go above and beyond the FDA requirements for safety, and stand behind the purity and efficacy of their products. But the lack of oversight has allowed supplements to wind up on shelves despite being contaminated with bacteria, pesticides or heavy metals (such as lead), or having mislabeled ingredients or amounts of those ingredients. These inconsistencies can be dangerous, especially for people who take medications that might interact with unknown ingredients, or for pregnant women who need to avoid potentially harmful additives that can affect the baby.

Lack of studies in pregnancy
Nutritional shakes often contain vitamins, herbs, plant derivatives and other goodies intended to boost energy, strengthen immunity or have other positive health effects. But these additives are often listed on the label as “herbal blends” or “proprietary blends,” meaning that the individual ingredients are not revealed. And even if they are listed individually, some of those ingredients may have been studied in pregnancy, while others have not. The lack of studies means we don’t know if they might have harmful effects on a developing baby or otherwise increase risks in pregnancy.

For example, some ingredients may be “generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” when eaten in the amounts usually found in food, but they could increase the risk of miscarriage when used at high concentrations in pregnancy. The concentration of a plant-derived ingredient can vary from batch to batch, depending on the growing and harvesting conditions of the plant. So in the end, you can’t be sure what you and your developing baby are getting with that shake.

Nutritional needs in pregnancy
A varied, healthy diet along with a daily prenatal vitamin recommended by your healthcare provider should give you all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that you and your growing baby need during pregnancy. Adding the extra vitamins found in that shake to your diet might result in exceeding the daily recommended amounts for pregnancy. On the flip side, if you are using a nutritional shake as a meal substitute, you might be missing essential nutrients that you and your baby should be getting from food. Always talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to meet your specific nutritional needs during pregnancy.

So, what to do about that container of protein powder sitting in your pantry or those bottles of energy shake taking up space in the fridge? Our advice? Find a new home for them until after you’ve delivered and are no longer breastfeeding. After all, you want to give your pregnancy a “fair shake,” right?

References:
• Natural Products Database, adapted from The Review of Natural Products. Facts & Comparisons (database online]. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Health Inc.; 2012.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA 101: Dietary Supplements. https://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/UsingDietarySupplements
• U.S. Food and Administration. Daily Values for Infants, Children Less Than 4 Years of Age, and Pregnant and Lactating Women. https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/dietary-supplement-labeling-guide-appendix-c-daily-values-infants-children-less-4-years-age-and

What do GLP-1 medications like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Mounjaro® mean for pregnancy, fertility, and breastfeeding? In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host and genetic counselor Chris Stallman welcomes Dr. Christina Han—Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and division director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at UCLA, co-director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program, and Board Member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr. Han breaks down current knowledge about GLP-1 receptor agonists and how they may impact people planning to conceive, those who are pregnant, and those breastfeeding. She also discusses considerations for people using these medications to manage type 2 diabetes or for weight loss.

🔹 How might GLP-1s influence fertility in people with PCOS or obesity?
🔹 What if pregnancy occurs while taking one of these medications?
🔹 What does limited research tell us about GLP-1 use during breastfeeding?
🔹 Why preconception planning and personalized care matter more than ever?

This episode offers expert insights and practical discussion for anyone navigating treatment decisions before, during, or after pregnancy.

👉 Learn more and explore evidence-based resources at MotherToBaby.org
📞 Questions? Speak with a specialist at (866) 626-6847 or text (855) 999-3525