REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND THE WORKPLACE

General Information about Reproductive Health and Your Job

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