Arsenic comes  from natural sources like rocks and forest fires. This metal also comes from man – made sources such as mining and manufacturing electronic products. It is normally found in the environment in small amounts that are not likely to hurt your baby during pregnancy.

However coming into contact with high levels of this metal can cause pregnancy problems such as miscarriages and birth defects. Exposing children to high levels of arsenic can lead to lower IQ.

How can you get exposed to arsenic ?

You may be at risk of being exposed to harmful levels of arsenic if you  :

• work or live near waste sites or incinerators
• work  or live near metal  smelters

How can you protect you and your baby from arsenic exposure during pregnancy ?

Let your health care provider know if you think you’ve been exposed to high levels of arsenic. Here are some of the things you can do to help protect yourself.

• get your well tested for arsenic to make sure it is safe to drink
• limit your contact with soil. It is important to wear gloves when  you work in the garden
• arsenic was used once to make decks and outdoor play sets that were made before 2003. You can use special stain or sealant on these to reduce your chances of being exposed to arsenic.

If you think you have an increased chance of getting exposed to this metal from your job, talk to your employer. Let him know you are pregnant  and ask if he  can change your job responsibilities to reduce your risk of being exposed to the metal. You can protect yourself from arsenic at work by doing the following :

• washing your hands before eating
• wearing protective clothing . Shower and change clothes before going home
• wash your work clothes at work or at home separately from the rest of the laundry