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Susceptibility During Pregnancy: What You
Need to Know Katie Huffling, MS, RN, CNM
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
Today’s presentation: � Why are we especially concerned about women
during pregnancy
� What is fracking? And associated unconventional oil and gas drilling…
� Health concerns related to fracking
� What you can do!
Exposures during
pregnancy matter
Water Use and Contamination
� 1 million gallons of water per frack
� 200 water trucks per frack
� 40,000 gallons of chemicals per frack
� A well can be fracked 10 or more times
Water Pollution � Temporary holding
sites
� Permanent Storage Tanks
� Re-injected at the site
� Deep-well injected elsewhere
� Illegally dumping (spraying)
� Legal spraying
Water Pollution � BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes)
� Other chemicals use in fracking process
� Methane
� Arsenic
� Radium
Methane Pollution
Arsenic & other solids
353 Chemicals from 944 products identified in use for
fracking � 75% skin, eye, respiratory, and digestive problems
� 40 – 50% brain/nervous system, immune system, cardiovascular and kidney problems
� 37% endocrine disrupting
� 25% cancer causing or mutagenic
BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes)
Contaminated well water
Air pollution Traffic accidents Damaged roads Congestion
Air Pollution “Side Effects” � Ground level ozone –
� Asthma
� Chronic lung disease � Premature aging of
the lungs � Poor birth outcomes
Air pollution pregnancy impacts
� Birth defects – heart and brain/spine
� Low birth weight
� Lower Apgar Scores: � Appearance (skin coloration) � Pulse (heart rate) � Grimace response
� Activity and muscle tone � Respiration (breathing rate and
effort)
Other Health Effects of Fracking
� Nausea and Vomiting
� Nose Bleeds
� Flu-like symptoms
� Headaches
Social “Side Effects” � Increased “drinking while driving” arrests
� Increased sexually-transmitted diseases
� Increased use of social and health services
� Displaced seniors and other vulnerable populations
Why don’t we know more? � Non-disclosure by the industry
� Non-disclosure agreements on settlements with industry
� Gag orders on health care providers
� Little to no research funding from government sources
� Science is very new
What you can do
Test your well water
Be Aware of the Air
Monitor symptoms
Talk to your neighbors
Consider the products you use
Get involved!
Resources � The Endocrine Disruption Exchange:
http://endocrinedisruption.org/
� Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Fracking site: www.frackingandhealth.org
� Main ANHE site: www.enviRN.org
� Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units: http://aoec.org/pehsu/documents/hydraulic_fracturing_2011_parents_comm.pdf
Thank you! Katie Huffling, MS, RN, CNM
[email protected] 240-753-3729