Project 460929

There is robust evidence linking prenatal exposure to common environmental toxicants (e.g., lead, pesticides, 2nd hand smoke) to a variety of negative reproductive and developmental health outcomes. In what is now Canada, colonial policies and colonization have contributed to the disproportionate prenatal environmental health burdens Indigenous Peoples face and subsequent prenatal environmental health inequities. Promoting prenatal environmental health (PEH) is an efficient and profound way to promote health equity due to PEH-interventions' ability to prevent and mitigate adverse health outcomes both in early life and across the life course. However, Prenatal Healthcare Providers [e.g., midwives, OBGYN, nurses, public health practitioners] rarely counsel patients about commonly found environmental toxicants [e.g., lead, pesticides] despite strong evidence demonstrating the benefits of preventative actions, and the demand for prenatal environmental health information from women who are reproductive-aged. To address this gap, this research aims to co-develop prenatal environmental health (PEH) literacy strategies in partnership with Indigenous prenatal organizations, communities, and community members, that can 1) provide pregnant Indigenous individuals with the information & resources needed for culturally-safe and protective PEH behaviours; and 2) influence pregnant Indigenous individuals' health literacy environment [including health policies, infrastructure, programs, curriculum, services, and personnel/standards of care] to ensure culturally safe PEH care is accessible. Community-based participatory action research methodology, Mi'kmaw Elders Albert and Murdena Marshall's Two-Eyed Seeing guiding principles, and Cree Elder Willie Ermine's "Ethical Space" partnership model will guide the cultivation of ethical research relationships throughout this research endeavour.