This announcement solicits applications for the Maternal and Child Environmental Health Network. The purpose of this program is to decrease maternal and child morbidity and mortality associated with pre-and post-natal environmental exposures. One organization will be funded that will implement and support a network of national and regional teratogen information service (TIS) counseling centers. A teratogen is defined as an agent that may induce abnormal embryo or fetal development when administered during pregnancy.[1] This program is intended to be a resource for women of reproductive age, their partners and healthcare providers, with an emphasis on vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.[2] For the purpose of this program, “post-natal exposure” refers to infants who are receiving breast milk.
[1] The Teratology Society. (2010). Teratology Primer 2nd ed. Retrieved from http://www.teratology.org/primer.asp on September 27, 2016.
[2] Vulnerable and hard to reach populations are defined as women living in medically underserved areas, or who are otherwise at-risk, for example, migrant workers, non-English speaking women, young women, those of lower socio-economic status (SES) and education, or who do not have insurance.
