As wildfires continue to occur each year, often sending smoke and ash across long distances, vulnerable populations including pregnant women have a higher chance of experiencing adverse health effects. Understanding the possible effects of prenatal wildfire smoke exposure on child neurodevelopment is critical to efforts around prevention and early intervention.      

This webinar will outline the possible exposures associated with wildfire smoke, review current data from ongoing studies around child neurodevelopment following prenatal wildfire smoke exposure, and discuss ways to reduce and potentially mitigate these risks during pregnancy.

Rebecca Schmidt, PhD, is a tenured full professor at UC Davis and a molecular epidemiologist with over 20 years of research experience in epidemiology, gene-environment interactions, epigenetics, maternal and child health, and a primary emphasis on neurodevelopment and autism. Her pioneering research focuses on how prenatal environmental and nutritional exposures interact with genomics, molecular mechanisms, and developmental programming to influence the neurodevelopmental outcomes of children. She leads a large biorepository and several child development cohort studies, including the MARBLES autism pregnancy cohort, the B-SAFE wildfire pregnancy cohort, and the PEACH cohort site for the national Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program.

Radiation exposure during pregnancy and lactation is a common source of concern for many patients—but not all exposures carry the same risk. In this informative webinar, Emily A. Caffrey, PhD, CHP, from the Health Physics Society (HPS), breaks down the different types of radiation and what is known about their effects on pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

Dr. Caffrey explains how radiation interacts with the body, clarifies misconceptions, and provides science-based guidance to help patients and providers make informed decisions. She also answers frequently asked questions about specific radiological procedures, such as X-rays, CT scans, and nuclear medicine exams during pregnancy and lactation. 

This webinar is ideal for healthcare professionals, counselors, and public health educators looking to improve their understanding of radiation safety and better support patients during a time when reassurance and accurate information are essential.