As evidence of the growing impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health continues to emerge, health care providers must be proactive in understanding and educating their patients about the interconnections between environment and health. This ARHP educational program is designed to help address these emerging and critical issues.
For more information, please contact the program manager, Delysha D'Mellow Henry, MPH, at ddmellow@arhp.org or (202) 466-3825.
Background
Scientists, clinicians, and advocates in both the reproductive and environmental health movements are becoming increasingly convinced that even very early fetal exposure to certain chemicals can have life-long developmental and behavioral consequences.1 Especially compelling is emerging research showing that chemical exposures that occur prior to conception, during pregnancy, and early in life can have ramifications on adult health.
The reproductive health community, which provides care to millions of Americans, needs to be at the forefront of promoting an evidence-based precautionary approach, educating patients, and advocating for testing and regulation that promises to benefit reproductive health outcomes.
Program Design and Educational Activities
This program launched when ARHP hosted the Reproductive and Environmental Health Leadership Meeting on September 15, 2008 in the Washington, DC, office. This meeting brought together reproductive health experts and environmental health scientists to foster open discussion about how to integrate environmental health science into the field of reproductive health. A summary of that meeting's presentations, discussion, and next steps are available here. The Reproductive and Environmental Health Leadership Meeting helped inform the goals of Environmental Impacts on Reproductive Health, which are to:
- Educate health care professionals about the connections between environmental exposures and reproductive health so that they may better serve and inform their patients and communities; and
- Harness and coordinate the strength of these professional voices as advocates for environmental practices and policies that will improve reproductive and public health.
Following this cornerstone meeting and guided by an expert clinical advisory committee, ARHP produced a variety of evidence-based materials for educating health care providers about these important issues, including:
Current program components include:
- Develop a new slide set module focusing on the reproductive health effects of chemicals found in common household cleaning products and strategies for reducing exposure
- Host one live session and two on-demand webinars
- Expand the current online REH-focused issue of Clinical Proceedings to include information from the new module on household cleaners
- Integrate content into CORE, ARHP’s on-line, open access collection of peer-reviewed, evidence-based teaching materials
Curriculum Learning Objectives
Environmental Impacts on Reproductive Health: Foundations of Science
At the conclusion of these sessions, participants will be able to:
- Appreciate the potential impact of exposure to harmful environmental chemicals and heavy metals on reproductive health
- Express the value of incorporating basic questions about environmental risks into the patient history and physical examination
- Utilize resources that provide information about environmental exposures in their particular communities and patient populations
- Refer patients to relevant resources and further information to learn more about their environmental risks
Environmental Impacts on Reproductive Health: Pesticides
At the conclusion of these sessions, participants will be able to:
- Discuss how pesticide exposure can affect the reproductive health of both women and men
- Identify the critical windows of susceptibility during which pesticide exposures can affect both female and male reproduction and reproductive outcomes
- Counsel patients about their specific risks and the steps they can take to reduce their risks
- Refer patients for additional information about pesticide exposure and reproductive health risks
Environmental Impacts on Reproductive Health: Household Cleaners
At the conclusion of these sessions, participants will be able to:
- Discuss how exposure to household cleaners can affect the reproductive health of both women and men
- Identify the critical windows of susceptibility during which household cleaner exposures can affect both female and male reproduction and reproductive outcomes
- Counsel patients about their specific risks and the steps they can take to reduce their risks
- Refer patients for additional information about household cleaner exposure and reproductive health risks
Intended Audience and Accreditation
Educational offerings were developed for health care providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives, pharmacists, and other members of the health care team) to help them work with patients for improved reproductive health outcomes.
The live sessions and Webinars associated with this program are accredited for continuing medical education, nursing contact hours, pharmacology, and pharmacist credits.
Funding
This project is funded through grants from the Passport Foundation and the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund.
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1. Challenged Conceptions: Environmental Chemicals and Fertility. October 2005.
