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192291 tn?1345400135

safe to take chemistry while pregnant

im in school now and currently 5 weeks pregnant...and was making my spring schedule for school and wanted to to know if chemistry was safe to take while pregnant
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Avatar universal
I took chemistry while pregnant. I had to wear gloves every day in lab and the instructor said we weren't going to be working on anything I couldn't do. But if you're worried talk to the chem department at your school and find out if your chem labs are different.
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Avatar universal
Also -- you might want to do what a lot of college students do when they aren't sure and pick a backup class. Register for both, go to the first few classes and then decide whether to drop it or not.
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Avatar universal
Yeah it totally depends on what you'll be exposed to in lab. Definitely talk to the instructor and wear protective gear. Make sure you'll be given a place to sit and rest when you need it, and that you can open a window or go outside if you get lightheaded from standing too long, waiting too long for lunch, or any fumes. Consider the time of day that lab is scheduled for and see how that coincides with how you've been feeling and when you need to eat.
I can tell you from my own experience that I had to drop chem lab one semester because of a traumatic injury. I was getting headaches and dizzy spells, had difficulty concentrating and even minor accommodations like a stool weren't enough. You may have similar issues being pregnant. Just be careful, be open with the instructor, and listen to your gut. Might be too much, might not.
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1844410 tn?1322749080
Check with your instructor & your Dr, but you should be fine if you proceed with caution. I am 18w 3d, and am employed full time as an engineer in hazardous waste remediation. Awareness of your surroundings is very important. In a Chem lab it is unlikely you would be exposed to substances more hazardous than you would find in ordinary household cleaners. You should always ensure you work with adequate ventilation. Keep a clean work area. Wear proper personal protective equipment, goggles, gloves, an apron or lab coat, etc. Do not ever eat or chew gum in the lab. Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose mouth, etc while in the lab, & always wash hands upon leaving. Basically the same precautions everyone should use around any type of chemical. Another consideration is that you will be past you first trimester, when the baby is most suseptable to chemicle exposures, by the spring semester. It is a personal decision, and you should listen to your Dr & instructor, but being pregnant doesn't automatically disqualify you from certain activities, especially if you proceed with awarenesd ,caution, & common sense. We probably have more chance of being injured in a car accident, but we don't all stop driving or riding in cars, right? Just my two cents worth. ;-)
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Avatar universal
Hi, if you're taking chem lab you should speak to the instructor and ask them if you'll be exposed to anything potentially harmful to the baby, either through exposure to skin or through your lungs (and ask your ob/gyn). It depends on the level of the course too. If the room itself is used for multiple chem labs of varying levels, then you might want to skip the course b/c you don't know what residue is hidden where. If you do decide to take the course, don't handle chemicals b/c they always get on you no matter how careful you are (I was such a klutz and spilled lots of stuff on my hands).
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