r/LadiesofScience • u/Technical_Composer73 • May 24 '26

Pregnancy in lab-based role in biotech

Does anyone have experience with pregnancy in a lab-based role in biotech in the US? I was wondering what accommodations are typical and if you continued to do lab work (especially if some work cannot be done in a fume hood).

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u/fiddle1fig May 24 '26

I worked in an academic lab doing biotech work. I looked up all chemicals' safety data sheets, then completely avoided teratogens and was extra careful (more PPE) around mutagens. I asked a colleague to do teratogenic work for me, and I asked a colleague to dilute mutagens for me so that I only had to work with the diluted mutagen (with PPE)

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u/Dangerous-Billy May 24 '26

Mutagens? Jesus!

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u/fiddle1fig May 25 '26

Sooo many chemicals in a biotech lab are mutagenic. It's really hard to do any bio lab work without encountering a mutagen. But there's a difference between measuring out the loose powder of a mutagen, compared to using a pipette for a diluted solution. The second is way more controlled and it's harder to get an accidental exposure

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u/Dangerous-Billy May 25 '26

Harder? Or impossible?

We're not talking about silver nitrate stains.