Chemical Flame Retardants and Reproductive Health

These short, interactive modules are designed to accompany and enhance the Prenatal Assessment of Environmental Risk (PAER) tool developed by the PEHSU program and Communicate Health under contract to the ATSDR.

In addition to highlighting the potential sources of exposure to environmental substances and reviewing possible health effects of concern, these modules use case examples of “low”, “medium”, and “higher” exposure settings to provide you as a clinician with a template in which to frame your pregnant patient’s concern or potential for exposure.

These modules finish with a short perspective on a relevant literature example or concept of importance in environmental toxicology. We hope you find this exercise both useful and educational, increasing your comfort in dealing with concerns related to pregnancy chemical exposures.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to:

1. Describe the pathways of chemical flame retardant exposure.
2. Identify the populations most at risk for chemical flame retardant exposure.
3. Assess your patients' risk for chemical flame retardant exposure.
4. Select at least two appropriate recommendations for the at-risk patient.

Authors

Charles McKay, MD, FACMT, FACEP; President, American College of Medical Toxicology

Laura Distelhorst, MSN, PNP, RN; Assistant Professor, Case Western Reserve University