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Resources for Exposure Types and Effects on Pregnancy


Childbirth Connection's Resources for Environment Awareness During Pregnancy

Planning Pregnancy: Environment: Home & Work
In our section called The Stages of Pregnancy, we have outlined the planning of your pregnancy, each stage of pregnancy, giving birth, and the early period after birth. This link is devoted to environment (home and work) while planning for your pregnancy.

General Environmental Exposures That Effect Pregnancy

The Complete Guide to Everyday Risks in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding by Dr. Gideon Koren, a pregnancy book
Buy The Complete Guide to Everyday Risks in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding		The Complete Guide to Everyday Risks in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Answers to Your Questions About Morning Sickness, Medications, Herbs, Diseases, Chemical Exposure and More, (2004) by Dr. Gideon Koren.

Learn more about The Complete Guide to Everyday Risks in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding from Amazon pregnancy book at Amazon

Web Resources for Environmental Justice Activists: Dioxin Homepage: website about dioxin and ways to avoid exposure to it

The National Academies: Report Recommends Steps to Reduce Dietary Dioxin Exposure: ways to reduce your dietary exposure to dioxin

American Academy of Pediatrics: Children's Health Topics: Environmental Health: pediatric environmental health information

Resources for Environmental Exposures and Effects on Pregnancy

Organization of Teratology Information Specialists: helping to prevent birth defects through education and research

Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS): Fact Sheets: a list of free downloadable fact sheets on exposures of concern to pregnant women

Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS): Find a TIS: find a teratogen service by state

Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS): Paternal Exposures and Pregnancy (PDF): information to help you determine if paternal exposures during pregnancy represent an increased fetal risk

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Toxoplasmosis Fact Sheet: information on what toxoplasmosis is, how to avoid it and what to do if exposed

Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction: information on questions related to fertility, pregnancy, and the health of unborn children

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Answers to an Expectant Mother's Common Questions about Traffic Safety (PDF): brochure of automobile safety best practices

Resources for Home Exposures and Effects on Pregnancy

US Humane Society: Pregnancy and Toxoplasmosis: website that provides information on pet care during pregnancy and toxoplasmosis

United States Department of Agriculture: Listeriosis and Pregnancy: What is Your Risk?: safe food handling for a healthy pregnancy

National Institutes of Health: Household Products Database: health and safety information on household products

Resources for Work Exposures and Effects on Pregnancy

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: information on reproductive health

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: The Effects of Workplace Hazards on Female Reproductive Health: reproductive hazards in the workplace, their effects on childbearing women and how to avoid these hazards

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: The Effects of Workplace Hazards on Male Reproductive Health: reproductive hazards to males in the workplace, their effects on producing healthy children and how to avoid these hazards

Resources for Disease Control and Prevention Regarding Pregnancy

The Hospital for Sick Children: Motherisk: treating the mother, protecting the unborn

Healthy Communications for a Healthy Life: Childhood Cancer and Its Avoidable Causes: an article on the public's lack of awareness on the escalating incidence of childhoold cancer and its avoidable causes

Most recent page update: 4/21/2008
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Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality of maternity care through research, education, advocacy and policy. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families.
News and Features

"2020 Vision" and "Blueprint for Action" Reports Available
Leaders from across the U.S. health care system have prepared several reports for improving the maternity care system.
Learn about Transforming Maternity Care project
Read the "2020 Vision"
Read the "Blueprint for Action"
Read the Consumer Workgroup report
Help implement Blueprint recommendations

Rising Maternal Mortality
Analysis of maternal mortality data for the state of California, with 14% of the nation's births, strongly suggests that maternal mortality is increasing in tandem with rising rates of cesarean section and obesity.
Read article about maternal mortality in California 
Read companion Q&A 

Maternity Care Fact Sheet Available
A new fact sheet (12/09) summarizes U.S. maternity care trends and figures from the latest federal reports. The fact sheet updates background information in the 2008 Milbank Report on Evidence-Based Maternity Care.
Get the fact sheet 
Read Evidence-Based Maternity Care 

US Cochrane Center (USCC)/Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE)
Visit the USCC/CUE website for the latest pregnancy and childbirth systematic reviews.

Maternity Care, a Major Segment of Health Industry, Must Be Overhauled for Health Care Reform to Succeed
As competing interests work out the particulars of health care reform, Childbirth Connection reminds the nation that rapid gains in the quality, cost, and value of maternity care are achievable.
Read the press release (PDF)

National Policy Symposium Honors Childbirth Connection's 90th Anniversary
Nearly 250 leaders deliberated about Transforming Maternity Care in Washington DC in April 2009.
Learn about symposium, next steps
See 90 years of milestones for women and families (PDF)

Seton Family of Hospitals Receives First Maternity Quality Matters Award
Childbirth Connection presented its inaugural Maternity Quality Matters Award to an organization that is achieving significant gains for women and newborns.
Learn more about award winner

Maternity Care Priorities in Health Care Reform
Childbirth Connection has issued a statement about health care reform priorities for a high quality, high value maternity care system.
Read the statement (PDF) 

Evidence-Based Maternity Care Report Released
A major new report takes stock of the U.S. maternity care system and finds great opportunities for improvement. Childbirth Connection collaborated with the Reforming States Group and the Milbank Memorial Fund to develop the report.
Learn more, get the report 
Read companion USA Today article
Read the USA Today article
Read the Consumer Reports story
Take the Consumer Reports quiz
Read Our Bodies Our Blog entry

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Help Transform Maternity Care!
Help Transform Maternity Care! Please join our efforts to make quality maternity care a top national priority. Your support will help make the transformation possible.
View 2009 Supporter Roster 

New Mothers Speak Out National Report Released
The latest report in Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers series is now available. Get an eye-opening look at the reality of life as a mother of young children in the United States, based on national surveys conducted by Harris Interactive.
Learn more, get the report
Read the Wall Street Journal story and listen to the podcast
Download Quick Facts (PDF)
Popular Publications

New Content!
journey to parenthood
Journey to Parenthood
Full Book Available Online!
A family-friendly book covering the trimesters, pregnancy resources, and the latest information on baby's first year of development. Available online (free) and for purchase in the Bookstore.
Browse through Journey to Parenthood childbirth connection journey to parenthood
Buy this book and learn more journey to parenthood in bookstore
Popular Pages
cesarean section resources Cesarean section resources

recommended pregnancy books Recommended pregnancy books

vbac or repeat c-section VBAC or repeat c-section?

inducing labor Pictures of your growing uterus

Listening to Mothers
"I just wish I had more support and kindness from the nurses with trying to breastfeed. I kept it up but I can see how many women stop very soon after giving birth."
-Listening to Mothers® survey participant
Click here for information about labor support options. 
Rights of Childbearing Women
Every woman has the right to unrestricted access to all available records about her pregnancy, her labor, and her infant; to obtain a full copy of these records; and to receive help in understanding them, if necessary.
More Rights of Childbearing Women