VDA #5

Mercury is the 80th element in the periodic table (GreenFacts, 2002). It is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in the environment in different chemical forms (GreenFacts, 2002). It is also a potent neurotoxin pollutant that leads to many health problems when it is in our food (EPA, 2012).  An organism that contains mercury is fish. When pregnant women have fish in their diet it can affect their unborn child's development by letting the child possibly have deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD (EPA, 2012). The child can also have severe disabilities and problems in their nervous system (EPA, 2012). Pregnant women or any kinds of people are exposed to mercury by touching it, breathing it through the air, or by eating of drinking food or water contaminated with mercury in it. Ways pregnant women can stay away from mercury during pregnancy are by not eating high amounts of mercury, especially fish and seafood. Studies show that people should have about 1 to 2 servings of seafood a week (EPA, 2012). Pregnant women should also throw away any broken thermometers or florescent light bulbs, which may contain mercury (EPA, 2012). Pregnant women should also avoid changing cat litter, lead exposure from old pipes and faucets, and pesticides or other certain chemicals, which also may contain mercury (EPA, 2012).