As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the United States, a major new study reveals important findings about how smoke exposure affects pregnant women and their babies. The growing threat Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, exposing millions of Americans to smoke-filled air. For pregnant people, this isn't … Continue reading Wildfire smoke and pregnancy: what expecting parents need to know
Author: PRHE
Rallying for clean air at the California State Capitol
On March 11th, Dr. Amy Padula spoke at the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition's 23rd Annual Clean Air Action Day rally at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The following is her full speech. My name is Dr. Amy Padula and I'm a scientist. I study how the air we breathe impacts our bodies and … Continue reading Rallying for clean air at the California State Capitol
Common pesticides may disrupt placental health
Pregnancy depends on a healthy placenta, but how environmental chemicals affect placental development is still poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to common pesticides may increase the risk of pregnancy complications. In our new study examining pregnancy risks from pesticides, one pesticide stood out: naled. You might not have heard of naled - an … Continue reading Common pesticides may disrupt placental health
Announcing new PRHE interim director Amy Padula
PRHE announced earlier in February that Dr. Amy Padula, a leading PRHE researcher who was named one of 20 Pioneers under 40 in Environmental Health by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment and received a NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientist R01 Award for her work on wildfire smoke and preterm birth, will serve as … Continue reading Announcing new PRHE interim director Amy Padula
Leadership change announced at PRHE
Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, MPH, the former EPA scientist and Alison S. Carlson Endowed Professor who has led the UC San Francisco Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE) since 2007, is leaving for Stanford University, where she will launch a new research and policy group focused on toxic chemicals. She will be departing PRHE … Continue reading Leadership change announced at PRHE
The chemical lobby is trying to weaken the law that protects people from toxic chemicals
Toxic chemicals and pollutants are contributing to a rise in chronic disease including cancer, Parkinson’s, diabetes, heart disease, autism, and infertility. Yet, the chemical lobby is trying to rewrite the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the one law designed to protect people from harmful chemicals. If they are successful, it could result in significantly higher … Continue reading The chemical lobby is trying to weaken the law that protects people from toxic chemicals
Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people
Hundreds of plastic-related chemicals were identified in pregnant women by scientists at UC San Francisco in a study published today in Environment & Health Journal. Alarmingly, many of these chemicals have little to no current exposure data, which means little is known about how much they are impacting people and their health. “It is extremely … Continue reading Scientists identify hundreds of chemicals from plastics in people
Pop Quiz 2025! Test your science and policy knowledge
Welcome to our 4th annual year-in-review quiz! Test your knowledge of PRHE’s research, policy happenings, and science successes from the past year. At the same time, you can get a preview of what to watch in the new year and the latest news from the EaRTH Center and the Center to End Corporate Harm. Here … Continue reading Pop Quiz 2025! Test your science and policy knowledge
EPA’s draft evaluation of D4 ignores real-world risks
You may not have heard of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (known as D4), but we can guarantee you have probably come into contact with it. Used in products from adhesives and automotive care products to cosmetics, hair treatments, and deodorants, regulators in Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have determined that D4 can pose reproductive and … Continue reading EPA’s draft evaluation of D4 ignores real-world risks
EPA’s proposed changes to its formaldehyde risk evaluation echo chemical industry demands
Main Takeaways: EPA sidelines chronic health risks of formaldehyde in a revised formaldehyde risk evaluation. The revisions represent a blow to the federal government’s ability to regulate formaldehyde and protect workers and others exposed to the hazardous chemical. While EPA maintains that formaldehyde still presents an overall “unreasonable risk” to human health, the Agency’s revisions … Continue reading EPA’s proposed changes to its formaldehyde risk evaluation echo chemical industry demands











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