Is It Safe To Use Photocopier When I’m Pregnant?
The characteristic lists of do’s and don’t s during pregnancy often make the expectant mother paranoid about the safety norms . One such concern is using photocopier for more than a few minutes during pregnancy. This is mostly the concern of the working mothers who may need to use a photocopier many times a day at work.
Causes For Fear:
The main cause behind this fear is that of radiation. Many believe that photocopiers emit a kind of radiation which affects the fetus. Also the dust emitted while changing the cartridge is said to lead to respiratory problems in a person like chest pain, difficulty in breathing, fatigue etc. Many are also known to suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS due to exposure to toxic chemicals [in the form of irritant vapor] given off by photocopiers. Photocopiers are also said to emit chemicals like carbon mono-oxide, nitrogen oxide, selenium and cadmium sulphide which are indeed harmful.
Firstly, the matter of radiation is completely baseless. Photocopiers use static and light to charge the drum in order to make copies. Thus, there is no question of radiation in case of photocopiers. Even if there was any radiation, it would have been too small to affect the fetus. For any radiation to affect a fetus, it should at least be of 10 rads which is an extremely high amount not found in daily appliances.
Secondly, the matter of dust emission is debatable. It is true that during changing toner cartridges substantial amount of dust is indeed emitted which may cause skin or eye irritation. But in order to do harm to the developing fetus, one needs to be exposed to the toner dust for extended periods of time which is usually not the case. And nowadays the photocopiers are comparatively dust free. Still, for safety, all the expectant mother needs to do is leave the job of changing the cartridge to someone else.
Thirdly, MCS is a rare condition and occurs only if the person is regularly exposed to high levels of such toxic chemicals. The risks of MCS are more if the photocopier is an old one where chemical emissions are more. The new age photocopiers do not have this risk. In case the copier belongs to the former era, it is indeed advisable for the expectant mother not to use it too much.
Lastly, the chemicals mentioned above, if inhaled by the mother, do pose as a threat for the child. For example, carbon monoxide if inhaled in large amounts may cross the placenta and affect the fetus. Selenium may lead to respiratory infections. But the exposure to these chemicals can be hazardous only if they exceed the prescribed norms. This mostly happens if the room is poorly ventilated or the usage of the copier is too high. For the mother’s safety, she should make sure that ventilation is good so that the chemical fumes do not stagnate.
The bottom-line is that, using photocopier during pregnancy is completely safe. Just that the mother should not indulge in changing cartridges, and should be in a well ventilated room.
Bookmark To
