Working Conditions and Pregnancy, 1980

The extensive occupational use of chemicals, the susceptibility of the rapidly dividing germ cells and the developing fetus, the few restrictions imposed when new chemicals are introduced in industry as well as our lack of knowledge emphasize the importance of examining the effect of occupational chemical exposure on human reproduction. The main purpose of the survey was to examine different female occupations and occupational chemical exposure (exposure to e.g. organic solvents, heavy metals, carcinogens, nitrous oxide and pesticides) as a risk factor in connection with spontaneous abortions. Another purpose was to present some methodological problems. The survey is historical and prospective and it comprises women in Funen employed in 12 selected occupations. The criterion for inclusion was at least one month's employment in one of these occupations in the period 1972-1980. The women were selected from places of work or trade unions which supplied the primary investigator with names and personal code numbers. In May 1980 a questionnaire was sent to the women containing questions about earlier pregnancies, about employment during the pregnancy and about the exposure to chemicals at the place of work. The data material consists of the completions of the questionnaire as well as information on the selected women, information obtained from the Patient Register of Odense Hospital (Odense Sygehus' Patientregister) and from Danmarks Statistik's Medico-Statistical Register of Births and Deaths (Medicinsk fødsels- og dødsfaldsstatistikregister)