OBGYN screening for environmental exposures: A call for action.

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Environmental Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Prenatal exposures pose risks to maternal and neonatal health.
• Professional societies advocate for routine screening of environmental, occupational, and dietary exposures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the frequency of environmental exposure screening by obstetricians and gynecologists (OBGYNs) during initial patient visits.

Main Methods:

• Online survey distributed to practicing OBGYNs.
• Survey included questions on demographics, environmental literacy, and screening practices.
• Statistical analysis used Chi-square and two-sample t-tests.

Main Results:

• Low screening rates for various environmental factors (occupational, chemicals, pollution, pesticides, personal care products, household cleaners, water, plastics, heavy metals).
• 85% of respondents lacked comfort in obtaining environmental histories; 58% performed no regular screening.
• Increased screening correlated with more years in practice and reading environmental committee opinions.

Conclusions:

• OBGYNs infrequently incorporate environmental exposure screening into routine practice.
• Reading professional guidelines is linked to higher screening rates.
• Enhancing physician comfort and knowledge is crucial for improving screening and protecting reproductive health.