Reproductive Hazards in the Lab
What does reproductive health mean to me?
Your reproductive health concerns the nature and actions
of the chemical, biological, and physical factors that could
affect your reproductive system. Specifically this is the
total biological system as it relates to the final creation
of a healthy egg or sperm.
We are the carriers of our future generations so it is important
that we understand what can affect us.
There are certainly rewards in a modern society with high
technology, yet there are sometimes prices to be paid a well
– hazards to your health and your reproductive health – which
must be identified. Sometimes these hazards cannot be avoided,
but you can protect yourself with education, proper training
and awareness.
Why worry about it now? I’m not ready to have kids!
Everything that you are exposed to
until the end of your reproductive years could have an effect
on your potential offspring. From the day they are born,
women possess all the eggs that they will carry throughout
their lifetime. Men, on the other hand, continually make
sperm. This could lessen any long-term effects of hazards,
but does not remove the importance of healthy sperm at a time
near conception. So, even if you’re not ready to have children
today, what you do today could have serious, long-lasting
consequences.
I’m not ever having children, so why worry?
"I’m not having children!" Many women and men have said
that, then at age 30, 35, or even 40, something happens –
and they decide to become parents! This is certainly no recommendation
to wait that long before having children, but it does point
out that you can change your mind about motherhood or fatherhood…and
it's important to safeguard your reproductive self "just in
case."
Why are men concerned with reproductive health?
Getting pregnant, having a baby, tending children, and now
reproductive health – the responsibility always seems to fall
on the woman’s shoulders. Yet, besides the man’s obvious
role and responsibility in conception, there is evidence linking
his role in reproductive health as well. Chronic use of marijuana,
for example, is believed to reduce sperm count. Alcohol can
disturb hormone balances and smoking can impair sperm production
and increase the number of malformed sperm. Chronic exposure
to certain organic vapors causes a similar effect. Anabolic
steroids can cause sterility. Remember, sperm are one half
of the equation for a baby.
What are some examples of reproductive hazards?
Reproductive hazards are not confined
to chemistry laboratories or lead battery factories. They
are often in use everyday – in the home, in the office, in
the lab, in the art studio, on the stage. It seems that they
are everywhere, yet it is important to remember that exposure
to them can be reduced or eliminated.
For example, alcohol is a reproductive hazard, yet you can
eliminate your exposure by avoiding its consumption. Heavy
metals, such as mercury and lead, can be found in batteries,
paint, and ink. Knowledge of the product’s ingredients can
allow you to choose an alternative, which contains none of
these hazardous substances. Some herbicides and pesticides
have been shown to have effects on human reproductive systems,
so living with weeds and ants may not be such a bad idea.
Organic solvents, such as xylene, toluene and carbon tetrachloride,
are commonly used in cleaning agents, paint removers, and
deglossers. Read the label to find out what is in the cleaning
fluid and change products if necessary.
This is all very frightening!
This information is not meant to
frighten anyone. It is meant, however, to alert you to a
very serious issue. Your reproductive health is very important
and, armed with knowledge, you can make decisions that allow
you to protect that part of your life.
What are my rights at CSUF?
You have the right to attend any
class regardless of your reproductive status. However, it
is recommended that you always find out if potential exposures
to hazards exist while taking a particular class. Many departments
are sensitive to women’s concerns and allow pregnant women
to take the lab part of a class, for example, after the child
is born. It is important to find out what the policy is before
the class starts, so you can make the appropriate decisions.
Where can I go for information?
ASK: Ask your supervisor, ask your instructor, ask the safety
personnel, ask your doctor.
READ: Read the labels on every product you work with – whether
it is in the home, the office, or your hobby room.
Every manufacturer of every product is required by law to
inform you either on the label of the known hazards, or on
a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) which gives a great deal
of information on the chemical’s hazards. Any safety office
at any facility will be able to obtain an MSDS for you if
you cannot obtain one yourself.
At CSU Fullerton, the Environmental Health and Instructional
Safety Office (278-7233) in T-1400 can readily print out an
MSDS for you upon request and discuss the specific hazards
of each chemical with you.
HESIS
(Hazard Evaluation System and Information Service) offers
a "fact sheet" on what specific chemicals can affect your
pregnancy, and a "worksheet" to help you evaluate the reproductive
hazards in your workplace.
The California Teratogen
Information Service can tell you about "teratogens" –
drugs and infectious agents that can affect your unborn child.
Cal-OSHA (California
Occupation Safety and Health Administration) Enforcement
or Consultation branches are responsible for workplace health
and safety.
Revised: 10/2003