Prenatal Exposures to Environmental Contaminants

Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH

Teleconference Description

We are seeing increases in incidence of adverse birth outcomes, particularly preterm delivery and low birthweight. Existing and emerging data show that prenatal exposure to chemicals in our environment are likely to explain some portion of adverse birth outcomes. In addition, adverse birth outcomes can presage further adverse effects during child or adulthood. This talk will present findings from the epidemiologic literature on prenatal exposures to environmental contaminants and their implications for short and long term consequences.

Speaker Biography

Tracey Woodruff is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco and the Director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment. She has done extensive research and policy development on environmental health issues, with a particular emphasis on early-life development. Her research areas include perinatal health effects from air pollution, developing the first national characterization of air toxics across the US, children’s health risks, and environmental health indicators. She has authored numerous scientific publications. She recently departed from the US EPA, where she was a senior scientist and policy advisor in the Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation. While at US EPA she was the principle author of two EPA reports on children’s environmental health indicators. She also has worked on critical science policy issues at EPA, including participation in risk assessment review and development, and general policy development. She is a coauthor of the recent USEPA guidance addressing childhood susceptibility to carcinogens for use in risk assessment. She was recently named an Associate Editor of Environmental Health Perspectives.

She received her Ph.D. and M.P.H. in the environmental health sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed a Pew Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, Institute for Health Policy Studies.

WHEN: Tuesday August 5th, 2008

TIME: 2-3pm Eastern Time

(Please dial in a few minutes before 2:00 p.m. so we can start on time!)

Moderator: Laura Abulafia, MHS

Toll Free: 1.800.868.1837

Direct Dial: 1.404.920.6440

Pass Code: 846 93 458#

COST: FREE!

MATERIAL: Go to the Initiative website at www.ehinitiative.org and click on the button that says next teleconference. There you will find the announcement with logistical information and the presentation under “materials” to down load or follow along on your computer.

For more information on the teleconference series or AAIDD’s Environmental Health Initiative, contact: Laura Abulafia at Laura@aaidd.org or visit the website at www.ehinitiative.org. Thank you.