Pregnancy Outcome of Pharmacy Assistants, 1979-1984

The survey is a historical cohort survey of the reproductivity outcome among female pharmacy assistants. The survey period was 1979-84. The purpose of the survey was to assess whether various forms of work at pharmacies and in the pharmaceutical industries affect the ability to become pregnant or to carry through a successful pregnancy. Information has been obtained concerning working environment conditions, including the contact with pharmaceutical products, chemicals, etc., by means of a postal self-administered questionnaire. The most detailed information is found for each pregnancy in the survey period where the following information concerning the course of reproduction has been collected: # #1. Sterility, infertility and increased time to pregnancy given # as the time from the wish to become pregnant till the # conception. This is used as a rough measure and is only # given as conception time over 1 year, between 1 and 4 years, # and over 4 years. (This information has been obtained # exclusively from the women themselves). #2. The number of spontaneous and induced abortions. #3. Birth weight/-height; gestational age. #4. The relation between the number of liveborn boys and girls. #5. The number of twin deliveries. #6. The number of malformations/stillbirths. (Data concerning the # points 2-6 have been obtained both from the women and from # three national registers: the National Register of In-Patients # (Landspatientregistret), the Register of Malformations # (Misdannelsesregistret), and the Medical Birth Register # (Fødselsregistret). #7. The women's wishes as regards fertility. (Questionnaire # information). # #Analyses have been carried out of time to pregnancy, birth weight, gestational age and premature birth, as well as of the correlation between miscarriage and working environment conditions. # The survey population comprises all women who were members of the Association of Danish Pharmacy Technicians (Danske Apoteksteknikeres Forening) as of 1 January, 1979 and who were under 40 years