Pregnant in Anatomy Lab?

[AllIDoIs]

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I know others have posted about this previously, but I was hoping to get some current feedback/opinions about this topic! I am starting med school in August and will be pregnant while taking anatomy (I will be in mid 2nd-early 3rd trimester during lab). I plan on wearing a respirator, as my only other options are to defer for the year, or take no additional precautions.

Has anyone ever been (or known anyone) that was pregnant during anatomy? I really don't want to defer, and I am trying not to worry about being exposed to the chemicals in the lab. I would really appreciate any experiences of people who have gone through the lab during pregnancy. Thanks 🙂

 

[ArcGurren]

1. congratulations!

2. the main thing to worry about is formaldehyde fumes. I dunno how teratogenic they are (if at all) but some people have a strong aversion to them. A respirator should definitely help you.

3. if you can manage it try to stay away from coming into direct contact with the preservatives

 

[Darwinism]

I know others have posted about this previously, but I was hoping to get some current feedback/opinions about this topic! I am starting med school in August and will be pregnant while taking anatomy (I will be in mid 2nd-early 3rd trimester during lab). I plan on wearing a respirator, as my only other options are to defer for the year, or take no additional precautions.

Has anyone ever been (or known anyone) that was pregnant during anatomy? I really don't want to defer, and I am trying not to worry about being exposed to the chemicals in the lab. I would really appreciate any experiences of people who have gone through the lab during pregnancy. Thanks 🙂

Comedy Gold

 

[Sheldor]

I know others have posted about this previously, but I was hoping to get some current feedback/opinions about this topic! I am starting med school in August and will be pregnant while taking anatomy (I will be in mid 2nd-early 3rd trimester during lab). I plan on wearing a respirator, as my only other options are to defer for the year, or take no additional precautions.

Has anyone ever been (or known anyone) that was pregnant during anatomy? I really don't want to defer, and I am trying not to worry about being exposed to the chemicals in the lab. I would really appreciate any experiences of people who have gone through the lab during pregnancy. Thanks 🙂

We had multiple people who were pregnant in our class and the respirator worked great! One of the women is a good friend and has told me that it was rough at times to not really be able to talk with her partners but other than that it went great.

We're now third years so it works! Congrats on the baby too, ours is 8 months old and the best thing that ever happened to us!

 

[Mattchiavelli]

Also, and you'll learn this in embryology, that period of development the baby is generally seeing growth in already formed organs. Not that you want to take a dip in formalin because you're in the third trimester, but as far as prenatal health not all trimesters are created equal.

 

[AllIDoIs]

Thanks for all the helpful and kind responses!!

Congrats to you too Sheldor! We are so excited to start our family! I tend to be a worrier, so hearing other people's experiences helps to put my mind at ease, at least a little 🙂

Thanks again!

 

[demh23]

What does the respirator look like ? Just curious

 

[Medicine4Bruhs]

It is technically "formalin" (saturated formaldehyde and methanol) and yes, it is definitely a carcinogen. It is nephrotoxic and is well known to cause developmental problems in neonatal babies.

A recent case study by Gowri (2010) in the Journal of Obstetrics and and Gynaecology Research outlines a patient who was exposed to formalin during her second trimester and its effect on her baby. She was initially exposed when a specimen held in a bottle of formalin broke and she was exposed for 10 minutes. You will definitely hover over a cadaver for more than 10 minutes during your anatomy lab. After presenting normally in the ultrasound before the incident, her baby malformed and the kidneys had evidence of dysplasia (one of the first stages of cancer), among other symptoms. Talk to your doctor!!!

 

[Caesar]

It is technically "formalin" (saturated formaldehyde and methanol) and yes, it is definitely a carcinogen. It is nephrotoxic and is well known to cause developmental problems in neonatal babies.

A recent case study by Gowri (2010) in the Journal of Obstetrics and and Gynaecology Research outlines a patient who was exposed to formalin during her second trimester and its effect on her baby. She was initially exposed when a specimen held in a bottle of formalin broke and she was exposed for 10 minutes. You will definitely hover over a cadaver for more than 10 minutes during your anatomy lab. After presenting normally in the ultrasound before the incident, her baby malformed and the kidneys had evidence of dysplasia (one of the first stages of cancer), among other symptoms. Talk to your doctor!!!

That is one study and it is foolish to draw any conclusions from a study.

As a poster above pointed out trimesters are not created equally. Talk to your OB and the school (there should be a doc around there somewhere).

Congrats!

 

[loveoforganic]

I worked in a chem lab under a pregnant grad student. She used a respirator and polynitrile gloves over polyethylene gloves. I last saw her baby at 2 years, but she was perfect as far as I could tell. If that worked in the lab which had far, far worse chemicals than formaldehyde (which it also had fwiw), I would think it would be plenty adequate a setup for formaldehyde alone. The respirator did make communication a little difficult, but she was also foreign.

 

[twentyone]

After presenting normally in the ultrasound before the incident, her baby malformed and the kidneys had evidence of dysplasia (one of the first stages of cancer), among other symptoms. Talk to your doctor!!!

In this case dysplasia does not mean premalignant, it means malformed. Dysplasia is used differently in perinatal/pediatric stuff.

OP, the lab should have some sort of information about how much formalin fumes are present and what the ventilation situation is. Ask to see their documentation and go from there. A respirator may be useful.

 

[Geekchick921]

Also, and you'll learn this in embryology, that period of development the baby is generally seeing growth in already formed organs. Not that you want to take a dip in formalin because you're in the third trimester, but as far as prenatal health not all trimesters are created equal.

+1.

OP, I'm also pregnant but I will be a little bit farther ahead of you (in the last few months of my pregnancy) during anatomy. No one at my school that I've spoken to about it has suggested I will need a respirator or anything of the sort, but the anatomy lab there is pretty new and the ventilation is very good. I'm just I don't go into labor until after the final (I am due 2 days later) because making it up will be a PITA.

If you haven't spoken to anyone at your school, I suggest you do so ASAP. At Temple I was told to contact one of the Deans of Education that also handles disability accommodations (not that pregnancy is a disability, but he's the one that works things out with the pregnant students as well). At his suggestion I will introduce myself to the anatomy professor in person at orientation and let him know about the possible conflict with the final and discuss arrangements. That doesn't really apply to you, though. I would also, as Caesar suggested, talk to your OB.

Good luck and I wish you a healthy rest of your pregnancy!

 

[AllIDoIs]

Thanks for all the info! I am in the process of switching OB's (for multiple reasons), but when I briefly asked my previous OB her thoughts on this subject, she said just be sure to "crack a window if the smell is bothersome". That really didn't give me too much comfort, as I am more the type to be overly cautious then to just brush it off like that.

My school had me e-mail the anatomy lab professor, who told me my options were to defer, wear a respirator, or take no precautions. He wants me to make the decision with my OB, so I will do that! Unless my OB is adamant about me not being in the lab, I am pretty sure I will be wearing the respirator. I just don't want to take any chances.

Geekchick - Congrats on the baby and I hope he/she cooperates and stays in there until after your final!! haha 🙂

 

[Untraditional]

Ask to use a full face respirator when in the lab. If it will be distracting during practicals ask your school if you can go separate from your class. Pregnancy is a rubber-stamp for most accommodation requests. At my school students who missed a practical also had the option of making it up using cyber-anatomy one-on-one with a proctor. See if they'll do that for you.

 

[xanthomondo]

Man how is this not a medical advice thread?