Stillbirth and chemical exposure of pregnant workers

Abstract

A case-referent study was conducted among women in health, personal services, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. Stillbirths (N = 227) were matched with live births (N = 227) on mother's age, gravidity, and socioeconomic status. Exposure was assessed by workplace visits, telephone calls, or estimations. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used which controlled for maternal education, race, cigarette and alcohol consumption, and previous stillbirths. The results showed a significant decreased risk of stillbirth for hairdressers [odds ratio (OR) 0.1, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.0-0.3] and garment workers (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.8)). Women in metal-electrical-chemical industries (OR 5.1, 95% CI 1.0-26.4) and those with low-level exposure to pesticides or germicides (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.1-8.6) had an increased risk. Ergonomic factors could be related to some of these findings.