[Histonet] Chemicals and pregnancy

[Phil McArdle]

Hi:

I'd be concerned about xylene. The typical xylene MSDS sheet probably 
contains verbiage like the following:

"Women may develop menstrual disorders, such as menorrhagia or 
metrorrhagia,infertility, and pathological pregnancy conditions 
including toxicosis, danger of miscarriage, and hemorrhaging during 
delivery. Repeated exposure of pregnant mice, rats and rabbits to the 
individual or the mixed isomers has resulted in maternal effects and 
effects on fertility, on the embryo or fetus, and specific developmental
abnormalities. Included among these effects are fetal death, 
fetotoxicity, pre-and post-implantation mortality, abortion, 
craniofacial and musculoskeletal abnormalities, and
extra embryonic structures."

Getting xylene out of the lab was one compelling reason for use of 
microwave protocols which replace xylene with 2-propanol.

Phil McArdle

-- 
Phil McArdle
Microwave Product Manager

Energy Beam Sciences, Inc.
29-B Kripes Rd.
East Granby, CT 06026

Tel:  800.992.9037 x 341
Mobile: 860.597.6796
Fax: 860.653.0422

pmcardle <@t> ebsciences.com
www.ebsciences.com

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James S. wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> I'm just wondering about the safety risks of working in an histology lab
> when pregnant. I have read through all the safety data and risk
> asessments for all the chemicals that I am currently using and there is
> nothing specific there about anything which may be harmful to the unborn
> child. I just wanted to check with you all to see what sort of
> precautions you would suggest.
> Mostly I just do IHC or fluorescence of frozen mouse tissues but I have
> the occasional paraffin embedded tissue to process as well.
> 
> Thanks for your help
> Sonya
> 
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