First Exposure is an information hub and research network sharing evidence – based information and recommendations on human exposures to medications, plant and environmental substances and their effects on conception, embryo and fetal development, pregnancy, lactation, and their influences on child development. First Exposure provides easy-to-access, up-to-date information to families and health care practitioners. First Exposure is developing a system to share non-personally identified data with scientists who can conduct research to fill relevant knowledge gaps, thereby improving reproductive and child health outcomes and reducing inequities in health outcomes.
First Exposure’s mandate is to serve Ontario’s 150,000 pregnant individuals and their families each year. Users also include primary healthcare providers including obstetricians, family physicians, pediatricians, midwives, nurses and pharmacists, through which First Exposure will mobilize knowledge generated from its toxicology database to anonymous users in accordance with privacy and security protocols. First Exposure is planning to grow to provide more interactive and personalized services and serve a national audience.
Guiding lifelong wellness through trusted, evidence-based pregnancy, lactation and infant health information.
To empower individuals and communities with the knowledge to make confident, culturally safe choices, we rigorously evaluate and communicate the safety of exposures on pregnancy, lactation and infant health in a manner tailored to their unique needs.
At First Exposure, our values support every facet of our work and guide our daily interactions and decisions.
We demonstrate care and understanding for the unique needs and experiences of the individuals and communities we serve and approach our work with compassion.
We foster a collaborative and supportive work environment, where teamwork and cooperation are encouraged to achieve our shared goals and better serve our communities.
We continually strive to conduct ourselves with honesty, ethical standards, and a strong moral compass in all our interactions and endeavors, ensuring trust and reliability in our relationships with others.
We embrace a culture of continuous learning and growth, where every team member is encouraged to expand their knowledge and expertise, driving innovation and excellence in our work.
Our commitment to co-leadership means that we actively engage with and involve community in co-creating First Exposure to ensure we represent the diverse perspectives and needs of the populations we serve.
First Exposure welcomes all individuals and caregivers at any stage of their reproductive journeys. We strive to maintain our person-centered resources through the utilization of inclusive language and terminology.
Despite our best efforts to strive for inclusivity, we respectfully acknowledge that the language used in these resources may not reflect the perspectives of all care recipients and providers and may evolve over time. First Exposure recognizes that change needs to occur at multiple levels within our society and our healthcare system to achieve inclusivity and equity. As a program, we are committed to ongoing learning and accountability for shaping a more inclusive healthcare system for all Ontarians, one that recognizes and celebrates 2SLGBTQIA community members, families and healthcare providers.
