The ARTEMIS Center: An Environmental Health Prevention Platform Dedicated to Reproduction

Abstract

In France, a new approach is being developed through the ARTEMIS Center, which is a prevention platform for environmental health dedicated to reproduction. The objective is to describe the clinical management of patients in the ARTEMIS center. Couples with a condition affecting reproduction are referred to the ARTEMIS center. Management includes a medical consultation and a standardized interview. Current exposure is assessed by a questionnaire that includes exposure circumstances to reproductive risk factor and on the basis of which it is possible to implement preventive action in clinical practice without prejudging the role of such exposure in the onset of disease. From 16 February 2016 to 2 May 2019, 779 patients were seen in the ARTEMIS center. On the day of the consultation, 88.3% men and 72.2% women were employed. Among employed men, 61.5% had at least one instance of occupational exposure to a reproductive risk factor, and among employed women, 57.8%. The main nonprofessional circumstances of exposure identified were proximity of the residence to an agricultural area (35.3%) and domestic pesticide exposure (79.7%). The preventive actions implemented by the ARTEMIS center are targeted to the individual practices of patients. However, patient care also allows their physicians to become familiarized with environmental health.