Читать книгу Getting Pregnant For Dummies - Sharon Perkins - Страница 102

Changing your job isn’t always easy, but you do need to consider potential exposure to dangerous substances and take steps to protect yourself from them. Here are some examples:

 Think about substances that you’re exposed to at work. For instance, if you’re a home remodeler, bridge painter, welder, or solderer, you may be exposed to large amounts of lead. You run the same risk if you’re remodeling an old house and scraping old paint off the walls. Lead exposure in men has been linked to low sperm count and decreased motility of sperm. In women, lead exposure may cause low birth weight in babies, high blood pressure during pregnancy, damage to the baby’s nervous system, and developmental delays.

 Heavy, exertional work can lead to reduced sperm counts, but there is little evidence about the effect of this on actual fertility rates.

 The advent of OSHA (the federal Occupational Health and Safety Agency) has provided safe work environments for almost all occupations. Since this is true, it is hard to imagine that there are strong negative influences on fertility rates based upon occupations. In fact, even though OSHA lists a few known toxins that could affect fertility (nitrous oxide, lead, jet fuel, and a variety of pesticides), it clearly states that these substances may not affect all workers, or all workers in the same way.

 There are a few studies that identify some environmental toxins that may (emphasis on the possibility, not the probability) impact a person’s infertility. These include hexachlorocyclohexane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), some pesticides, and ingested heavy metals (mercury and lead).

The impact of any potential toxin on a given individual’s fertility potential depends upon the intensity of the exposure to the toxin. You cannot assume that casual exposure is at the root of your infertility problem. When in doubt, please check with your doctor about your specific concerns.