Does anybody know what the risks of exposure to anaesthtic gases in early pregnancy are?
Question by Lea: Does anybody know what the risks of exposure to anaesthtic gases in early pregnancy are?
I am a nurse and often have to go into the anaesthetic room with patients, therefore being exposed to the gases. Staff who are pregnant usually avoid this. I have had 2 very faint positive pregnancy tests now, and i am a couple of days late, however it seems very premature to mention it at work incase i’m not pregnant. However there is no other way around not going to the anaesthetic room! What do u think i should do? Please any views would be really appreciated, thanks xxx
Best answer:
Answer by lovelibutterfli
I would get get a hold of your nursing supervisor and talk to them about it, they would be more likely to keep it on DL, and tell you what the risks are.
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Hiya Lea, being a nurse, you should have a better idea than most about what to do.
Speak to the person in charge of rota-ing the staff to the anaesthetic room regarding your concerns, asking if there is any way that you could be kept away from that particular duty.
A chat with one of the qualified anaesthetists, ( who should hopefully be able to help ) may also help, but no matter what I would suggest that finding out 1 way or the other is the most important thing.
Good luck to you, and I hope you get the result you want,
Mike t
Health Hazards (from http://www.acva.org/professional/Position/waste.htm):
1. Conflicting evidence exists in the scientific literature about the effects of trace levels of anesthetic gases on the health and performance of operating room personnel. Genetic mutations, cancer, complications during pregnancy (eg, spontaneous abortions), hepatic and renal disease, immunological effects, and psychomotor changes have been linked to exposure to trace gases. In most instances, definitive proof is lacking.
2. Even though potential for serious effects on human health and performance in the operating room is probably small, exposure to waste anesthetic gases should not be ignored.
Potential hazards exist for all personnel exposed to trace gases-not just women of childbearing age. Thus, measures to control waste gases should be directed to protect all personnel, not a select group.
3. Any veterinary facility using inhalant anesthetics (ie, halogenated hydrocarbons and/or nitrous oxide) should institute and maintain a control program for waste anesthetic gases, based on the possibility that trace gases may adversely affect human health.
Even though the above speaks to veterinary care, the same applies to human care. A pregnant woman is a preganat woman no matter where she works.
And OSHA speaks to safety of anesthetic gasses at this site: http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/anestheticgases/index.html
Is there any way that you can avoid entering the anesthetic room? Main risk occurs when the gasses are flowing, and the patinet is masked, and not intubated. When intubated, the expelled gasses exit VIA the scavenger system. If you don’t have a scavenger system, then you need to do research and see if it is required in your state where anesthesia is used.
These is a risk, although the “proof” is questionable.
i would do what I could to avoid it.
I work in the OR, and when our nurses are preganant, they just stand away from the patient as much as possible while the gasses are flowing until the patient is intubated.