dr. tracy woodruff is the author of the study and she leave the program on reproductive health and the environment at ucsf. >> what we are trying to do is understand what the exposures are and help us prioritize. you can't study them all at once we have to figure out which ones to start with. >> reporter: this new method can lead to results that allow researchers and policymakers to raise concerns about which chemicals are harmful to pregnant women. she says the challenge is that the chemicals identified can be used in so many everyday products. >> personal care products, shampoo, lotion, cleaning products, products to build your house, paints and furniture and carpet. the foam insulation in your house. and then there is pesticides that are used and found on food. >> reporter: overall the best way to protect yourself is to remove shoes before entering your house. wash your hands, use unscented, non-toxic products, don't drycleaner close and eat organic foods. it is expanding the study and will add more women and increase the number of chemicals they can scan from a database of 700 to 3000. >>> a w

dr. tracy woodruff, professor in ob-gyn and director of reproductive health and the environment at the university of san francisco. the research program focuses on understanding chemical exposure during pregnancy and how it may affect environmental outcome. today i'm here to speak about the ban that is in the proposed bill on the class of fluorinated chemica chemicals. it's used in products including food packaging and food service items. these chemicals can migrate out of the food service items and get into the food, water, and also air or soil where food is grown. people are exposed through food they eat or water they drink or air they breathe. our studies at ucsf have shown that every pregnant woman here in san francisco as across the united states have measurable levels of a number of these products in their bodies. we're concerned because of the exposures that occur during the developmental period prenatally can have adverse health effects that can result in early childhood and even into adulthood. ordinances like this, bans that have happened, have shown that taking them out of the marketpl