No abstract

It is estimated that each year 20 million workers in the United States are potentially exposed to a variety of reproductive hazards. In 1986, Wisconsin implemented an advanced practice public health nurse role to serve as the occupational reproductive health consultant to employees, employers, health care professionals, unions, and others. This article describes this advanced practice role in public health nursing and the women who sought reproductive health consultation. Data on the types of workplace exposures that these consultees had during pregnancy are used to illustrate the occupational history and its importance for pre-conceptional and early-pregnancy counseling. The sample for analysis was limited to the 118 women, aged 19-43 years, who received consultation services between 1990 and 1993 and whose pregnancies resulted in live births. Data were abstracted from the consultant's records of telephone and written consultations and linked to birth certificate records to provide information on smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy. The findings are summarized using descriptive statistics. Implications of the findings for public health nursing are discussed.