For immediate release: A one-day scientific meeting of importance and interest to the Salt Lake City community, “Air pollution harms reproductive health”, will be held on June 1, 2019 in the Swaner Forum at the Natural History Museum of Utah, Rio Tinto Center, The University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108.
Organized by the Campion Fund of the Phyllis and Mark Leppert Foundation for Fertility Research, this meeting will highlight internationally respected scientists from The University of Utah, University of San Francisco, Duke University, University of Nevada, New York University and Columbia University as well as the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. New insights will provide evidence that air pollution can negatively impact healthy reproduction in both men and women.
Scientists now have demonstrated that air pollution can cause preterm birth and stillbirths. Air pollution can adversely affect many processes of female and male reproduction, such as complications of pregnancy and alterations in sperm quality. Maternal health is affected and there are long term problems in adolescence and adult life due to fetal exposure to poor air quality. Scientific presentations will focus on these problems as well as provide evidence of the biological mechanisms that underlie adverse reproductive outcomes.
The day-long meeting gives attendees an opportunity to discuss the scientific findings and to begin to strategize possible solutions to eliminate the negative impacts of poor air quality. While the 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM sessions aim to provide a depth of understanding for scientists and interested community members, there will be a free session open to the general public from 4:00 to 5:00 PM that includes talks by Dr. James Hotaling and Dr. Matthew Peterson, faculty of the University of Utah, on the topic of “Why is air quality important to reproductive health? What can you do about it?”
Following the day’s scientific and public presentations there will be a refreshment hour and then a Gala fundraising dinner at the NHMU. This dinner will enable the public to mingle with the scientific community and to learn more about the concerns regarding the negative impact poor air quality has on reproductive health. The reproductive health of young people is important for the health of their children. Heathy parents create heathy children and healthy future generations. Reproduction is essential for all humankind.
Registration is $30.00 for scientists and interested community members and $15.00 for students. A light breakfast, coffee and lunch are also included. Tickets for the evening reception and dinner are $100.00 for scientists and the community and $50.00 for students. The proceeds will go to future educational events sponsored by the Campion Fund.
The members of the scientific Advisory and Planning Committee for Air pollution harms reproductive health are: Sarah Berga, MD, Professor and Director of the Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine University of Utah School of Medicine, Kirtly Jones, MD, Professor Emerita of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Mark Leppert, PhD, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Genetics, University of Utah and Phyllis Leppert, MD, PhD, Emerita Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine. Information and registration for the events is available online. You may call 919-451-9874 for further information.