What to Expect When Expecting in Lab: A Review of Unique Risks and Resources for Pregnant Researchers in the Chemical Laboratory

Abstract

Pregnancy presents a unique risk to chemical researchers due to their occupational exposures to chemical, equipment, and physical hazards in chemical research laboratories across science, engineering, and technology disciplines. Understanding “risk” as a function of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, this review aims to critically examine the state of the science for the risks and associated recommendations (or lack thereof) for pregnant researchers in chemical laboratories (labs). Commonly encountered hazards for pregnant lab workers include chemical hazards (organic solvents, heavy metals, engineered nanomaterials, and endocrine disruptors), radiation hazards (ionizing radiation producing equipment and materials and nonionizing radiation producing equipment), and other hazards related to the lab environment (excessive noise, excessive heat, psychosocial stress, strenuous physical work, and/or abnormal working hours). Lab relevant doses and routes of exposure in the chemical lab environment along with literature and governmental recommendations or resources for exposure mitigation are critically assessed. The specific windows of vulnerability based on stage of pregnancy are described for each hazard, if available. Finally, policy gaps for further scientific research are detailed to enhance future guidance to protect pregnant lab workers.

Preventive Measures among Hospital Laboratory Employees regarding Occupational Health Hazards

“…Medical laboratory deals with almost all medical conditions, which is a medical specialty complementary to other specialties as it is very important and irreplaceable. The Laboratory Medicine is considered as one of basic medical branches and complementary to all other disciplines, where most clinicians need the laboratory reports to complete the examination of patients; as clinicians depend on reports for proper diagnosis, treatment plan, and follow-up treatment (Lane et al, 2022).…”

Narrative minireview of the current status of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for pregnant women

“…2,3 HBOT may also be teratogenic for fetuses when pregnant women receive HBOT. 4,5 We previously experienced a case wherein a pregnant woman suffering from nonobstructive ileus consulted our facility for HBOT. HBOT has been reported to be indicated for ileus.…”