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What are Reproductive Hazards for Female Workers? |
Table 1. Chemical and physical agents that are reproductive hazards for women in the workplace |
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Potentially exposed workers |
Cancer treatment drugs (e.g., methotrexate) |
Infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, low birth weight |
Health care workers, pharmacists |
Certain ethylene glycol ethers such as |
Miscarriages |
Electronic and semiconductor workers |
Carbon disulfide (CS2) |
Menstrual cycle changes |
Viscose rayon workers |
Lead |
Infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight, |
Battery makers, |
Ionizing radiation (e.g., X-rays and gamma rays) |
Infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, low birth weight, developmental disorders, childhood cancers |
Health care workers, dental personnel, atomic workers |
Strenuous physical |
Miscarriage late in pregnancy, premature delivery |
Many types of workers |
Table 2. Disease-causing agents that are reproductive hazards for women in the workplace |
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Potentially exposed workers |
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Cytomegalo- |
Birth defects, low birth weight, developmental disorders |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Good hygienic practices such as handwashing |
Hepatitis B virus |
Low birth weight |
Health care workers |
Vaccination |
Human |
Low birth weight, childhood |
Health care workers |
Practice universal precautions |
Human |
Miscarriage |
Health care |
Good hygienic practices such as handwashing |
Rubella |
Birth defects, low birth weight |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants and children |
Vaccination before pregnancy if no prior |
Toxoplas-mosis |
Miscarriage, birth defects, |
Animal care workers, |
Good hygiene practices such as handwashing |
Varicella- |
Birth defects, low birth weight |
Health care workers, workers in contact with infants |
Vaccination before pregnancy if no prior |
How Does the Female Reproductive System Work? |
What Reproductive Hazards Might Be Caused by Workplace Exposures? |
How Are Workers and Their Babies Exposed? |
How Are Families Exposed? |
How Can Exposures Be Prevented? |
Employers are responsible for training and protecting their workers. Employees
are responsible for learning about the hazards in their workplace, using
personal protective equipment, and following proper work practices. Since
little is known about reproductive hazards in the workplace, workers should
also take the following steps to ensure their own safety:
What Additional Information is Available from NIOSH? |
Delivering on the Nation's promise: