Pregnancy & MCS: Andrea Lily Ford

The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast

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In this episode, I’m speaking with Andrea Lily Ford, Ph.D. Originally from California in the U.S., Andrea is now based in Scotland. She is an anthropologist and specializes in culture and medicine and works at the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
As a researcher, Andrea builds on her experience as a practicing birth doula to examine the impact of chemicals on the endocrine system. She also specializes in how chemicals affect childbearing women, foetuses, and infants.
In our conversation, Andrea explores how:

• The placenta does not protect the foetus from chemicals.
• Many women spend time and energy identifying products that potentially keep their unborn children and infants safe.
• Reducing the number of chemicals is everyone’s responsibility.
• Breastfeeding can pass chemicals from mothers to infants, but in spite of this, it is still widely recommended because of its benefits.

Links:

Website: Andrea Lily Ford, Ph.D.
"Purity is not the Point: Chemical Toxicity, Childbearing, and Consumer Politics as Care." 2020 paper by Andrea Lily Ford.
DISCLAIMER: THIS PODCAST AND WEBSITE DO NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. No material or information provided by The Chemical Sensitivity Podcast, or its associated website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, dia

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1. Pregnancy & MCS: Andrea Lily Ford (00:00:00)

2. Aaron introduces the podcast and episode. (00:00:05)

3. Andrea introduces herself. (00:02:39)

4. Aaron mentions the title of Andrea's scholarly paper that they discuss. He asks about her experience as a birth doula. (00:03:10)

5. Andrea talks about her experience as a birth doula. (00:03:49)

6. Andrea talks more about how her work as a birth doula led her to reseach chemicals and their impacts on childbearing women. (00:05:21)

7. Andrea outlines major types of chemicals that impact childbearing women. (00:07:21)

8. Andrea talks about how the womb cannot protect unborn children from chemicals. (00:10:15)

9. Andrea discusses efforts women make to protect themselves, their unborn children, and infants. But she says we all have to more to limit the number of chemicals that are used. (00:12:31)

10. Andrea explains that many women who are economically disadvantaged have limited opportunities to protect themselves from chemicals. (00:16:21)

11. Andrea says people's desires to protect themselves, their unborn children, and infants from chemicals can be harnessed to press for change. (00:17:47)

12. Andrea talks about breastfeeding and how it involves transmitting chemicals from mothers to infants but that many health experts still recommend it. (00:18:54)

13. Andrea explains what endocrine disruptors are. (00:21:31)

14. Andrea talks about how pregnant women are affected by endocrine disruptors. (00:23:36)

15. Andrea talks about the importance of pregnant women not blaming themselves for chemical exposures their unborn children and infants experience. (00:25:54)

16. Andrea encourages pregnant women to ask for support and communicate their concerns about these issues. (00:27:22)

17. Aaron concludes the episodes and reminds listeners where to find the podcast online. (00:29:02)