Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Objective Given the limited evidence on the awareness and attitudes of health professionals who educate pregnant women about endocrine disruptors, alongside growing concern regarding their adverse effects during pregnancy, this study was conducted to assess these factors. Methods The study, which was carried out according to cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational methods, was implemented during an antenatal education conference held in Izmir between October 27-30, 2023. The sample consisted of 178 health professionals, including midwives, nurses, and obstetricians, who attended the congress and provided education to pregnant women. Data were collected with the Introductory Information Form (IIF), Endocrine Disruptors Attitude Scale (EDAS), and Endocrine Disruptor Chemicals Awareness Scale for Health Professionals (EDCAS). Results A total of 83.7% of the participants had not received training on endocrine disruptors. The mean EDAS score of the participants was 80.87 +/- 11.39, and the mean EDCAS score was 84.93 +/- 13.34. There is a weak correlation between the EDCAS score and the EDAS score and a moderately significant relationship between the general awareness sub-dimension of EDCAS and EDAS (p < 0.05). Participants who received training on endocrine disruptors had higher EDCAS and EDAS scores (p < 0.01). Conclusion These findings are relevant to perinatal health as they show that many prenatal health professionals lack formal training despite moderate awareness and positive attitudes. Since training is associated with higher awareness and attitudes, improving education may enhance counseling, reduce harmful exposures, and support better maternal and fetal outcomes. Significance What is Already Known on this Subject? The most sensitive period for exposure to endocrine disruptors, with potential lifelong adverse health effects, is the fetal period. Antenatal education programs provide important opportunities to increase awareness and promote protective behaviors among pregnant individuals. However, individual-level preventive efforts may be constrained by broader systemic factors, such as occupational exposures, environmental conditions, and neighborhood-level risks. In the current literature, only a limited number of studies have examined endocrine disruptor awareness among health professionals involved in antenatal education programs, and no studies have specifically evaluated their attitudes. What does this Study Add? This study demonstrates that a large proportion of health professionals who provide antenatal education have not received formal training on endocrine disruptors (83.7%). Despite this, their awareness levels were slightly above moderate, and their attitudes toward endocrine disruptors were relatively positive, indicating a generally favorable orientation toward risk reduction and preventive practices.