General Information about Reproductive Health
Where you work, how you work, and what you work with can affect your reproductive health or your family’s health.
- You can carry chemicals home on your skin, hair, clothes, and shoes. Some of these can harm the health of children and other people in your household.
- Many chemicals in the workplace haven’t been tested to see if they can cause reproductive problems.
- Laws for workplace safety and health don’t always protect your reproductive health and the health of your family.
- Men: Your sexual function, sperm, or semen can be affected by workplace hazards. Some chemicals can concentrate in semen.
- Women: If you are exposed to hazards at work and are pregnant or breast feeding, your baby can be exposed too.
Workplace hazards can lead to certain reproductive health problems, such as:
- Reduced fertility or infertility
- Erectile dysfunction
- Menstrual cycle and ovulatory disorders
- Women’s health problems linked to sex hormone imbalance
- Miscarriage
- Stillbirth
- Babies born too soon or too small
- Birth defects
- Child developmental disorders