Women who are preparing pregnancy plans need to pay attention to whether there may be reproductive harm in their workplace environment! Xiaoyun (pseudonym) is a new pregnant female worker of 1 1. She works in the laboratory of a company, and often uses chemicals in her work, including formaldehyde and xylene. Because it is the first child, Xiaoyun is very worried about whether these chemicals will have adverse effects on the fetus in the womb. But she is less than three months pregnant, because tradition is embarrassed to talk in the workplace. So, she went to the outpatient department of environmental and occupational medicine of National Taiwan University Hospital for consultation.
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen with reproductive toxicity.
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and there is sufficient evidence to show its reproductive toxicity. Female contact can cause spontaneous abortion or other abnormal pregnancy events, and male contact can also cause prolonged pregnancy or spontaneous abortion. It has also been found that xylene is embryotoxic, but has no obvious toxicity to the mother.
After consultation, the doctor assessed that it was necessary to visit the work site. During the visit, it was found that the protective effect of gloves used in the laboratory on formaldehyde and xylene was not enough, and some operation procedures did not meet the guidelines. After the doctor's evaluation and suggestions, the laboratory has replaced gloves with suitable materials, and improved the working environment, greatly reducing the risk of employees' exposure to formaldehyde, xylene or other chemical poisons, making their working environment more friendly and safe. Xiaoyun, on the other hand, is adjusted through the adaptive work suggested by the doctor, and there is no need to handle the operation of related chemicals during the protection period.