About Us
The Pregnancy Exposure InfoLine (PEIL) is a service provided free of charge to clinicians and the general public that offers practical evidence-based information about exposures during pregnancy and potential effects to the developing fetus. We provide non-judgmental counseling and information on common daily exposures such as hair dye, paint, and herbal products to more specific exposures including illicit drugs, medications, infections, chemicals and many more.
PEIL was created in 1983 as an auxiliary service provided by the National Birth Defects Center (now known as The Feingold Center for Children), a clinic that provides state of the art, coordinated and humanistic care for children born with birth defects, genetic diseases or mental retardation. The clinic was opened under the supervision of Dr. Murray Feingold who also developed the Genesis Fund, a non-profit organization that raises money for the specialized care and treatment of New England area children.
Once the clinic was formed, it generated interest from the public about all aspects of pregnancy, including birth defects and genetic disorders. Calls were received from concerned parents-to-be regarding hazards to their unborn child. As the calls increased, Dr. Feingold saw the need to provide assistance and information regarding various exposures and the effects of medicines on the fetus and the PEIL was established to address these questions.
The staff of PEIL consists of health educators and physicians who have specialized training in genetics, birth defects and teratology (the study of the effects that drugs, medication, chemicals and other agents may have on the fetus).
PEIL is a member of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS).
