Home in the haze: A first-hand report of staying safe while pregnant as smoke covers the sky
Right now, you can find me in my home office, working from the desk.
I'm pregnant, in my third trimester, and I'm following doctor's orders by staying inside. I live and work in Kingston and the air quality rating is particularly dangerous here.
Smoke from wildfires burning across both Ontario and Quebec blanket the skyline in Kingston, Ont., Tuesday, June 6, 2023. (Lars Hagberg/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Experts say people like me with underlying health issues are particularly vulnerable right now. Older people, asthmatic people and people with heart disease or other respiratory issues are also at risk.
That's because the tiny particles in the air from the wildfire smoke can get into the lungs.
I spoke with Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, a respirologist from Queen's University and Kingston Health Sciences Centre, who says for people like me who are pregnant, there is an increased risk of things like premature birth.
He says the advice for anyone with underlying health concerns is to stay inside.
"Stay indoors and avoid it if you can," he said to me. "Keep your windows and doors closed and if you have to go outside, ideally use a mask."
He says outside workouts should be avoided right now, but a quick errand is all right.
"The thing is not to be going out and spending a prolonged time in that exposure," he explained. "If you had, for some reason, to be out for hours, then wearing an N95 would be helpful."
Smoke from wildfires burning across both Ontario and Quebec blanket the skyline in Kingston, Ont., Tuesday, June 6, 2023. (Lars Hagberg/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Dr. Samir Gupta, a respirologist who spoke to CTV News, explains just how bad the smoke is.
"Spending a day out there, breathing in these tiny particles, is not dissimilar to breathing in a half-pack of cigarettes," he said. "So, that’s the extent of what we’re dealing with."
I'm not alone. The poor air quality has led to an increase in visits to the emergency room in Kingston and elsewhere. Dr. Gupta says that it is especially bad for those with asthma.
"Those patients will know what the experience of a flare-up is, with tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, cough, wheeze," he said. "These are the kinds of things where they may have a plan on how to manage that with a provider, but if things get out of control, they may need to seek help and that’s what we see."
In the meantime, I'm keeping an eye on air quality updates.
Experts say once that improves, we can all get back to our normal outdoor routines.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi still missing after helicopter accident in mountains
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Toxic drugs circulating in northeastern Ont., police say
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.