TY - JOUR

T1 - Maternal occupation during pregnancy, birth weight, and length of gestation

T2 - combined analysis of 13 European birth cohorts

AU - Casas, Maribel

AU - Cordier, Sylvaine

AU - Martínez, David

AU - Barros, Henrique

AU - Bonde, Jens Peter

AU - Burdorf, Alex

AU - Costet, Nathalie

AU - Dos Santos, Ana Cristina

AU - Danileviciute, Asta

AU - Eggesbø, Merete

AU - Fernandez, Mariana

AU - Fevotte, Joelle

AU - García, Ana M

AU - Gražuleviciene, Regina

AU - Hallner, Eva

AU - Hanke, Wojciech

AU - Kogevinas, Manolis

AU - Kull, Inger

AU - Stemann Larsen, Pernille

AU - Melaki, Vasiliki

AU - Monfort, Christine

AU - Nordby, Karl-Christian

AU - Nybo Andersen, Anne-Marie

AU - Patelarou, Evridiki

AU - Polanska, Kinga

AU - Richiardi, Lorenzo

AU - Santa Marina, Loreto

AU - Snijder, Claudia

AU - Tardón, Adonina

AU - van Eijsden, Manon

AU - Vrijkotte, Tanja G M

AU - Zugna, Daniela

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark

AU - Vrijheid, Martine

PY - 2015/7

Y1 - 2015/7

N2 - OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether maternal employment during pregnancy - overall and in selected occupational sectors - is associated with birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery in a population-based birth cohort design.METHODS: We used data from >200 000 mother-child pairs enrolled in 13 European birth cohorts and compared employed versus non-employed women. Among employees, we defined groups of occupations representing the main sectors of employment for women where potential reproductive hazards are considered to be present. The comparison group comprised all other employed women not included in the occupational sector being assessed. We performed meta-analyses of cohort-specific estimates and explored heterogeneity.RESULTS: Employees had a lower risk of preterm delivery than non-employees [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.81-0.91]. Working in most of the occupational sectors studied was not associated with adverse birth outcomes. Being employed as a nurse was associated with lower risk SGA infants (ORadj 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.99) whereas food industry workers had an increased risk of preterm delivery (ORadj 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.02). There was little evidence for heterogeneity between cohorts.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that, overall, employment during pregnancy is associated with a reduction in the risk of preterm birth and that work in certain occupations may affect pregnancy outcomes. This exploratory study provides an important platform on which to base further prospective studies focused on the potential consequences of maternal occupational exposures during pregnancy on child development.

AB - OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether maternal employment during pregnancy - overall and in selected occupational sectors - is associated with birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery in a population-based birth cohort design.METHODS: We used data from >200 000 mother-child pairs enrolled in 13 European birth cohorts and compared employed versus non-employed women. Among employees, we defined groups of occupations representing the main sectors of employment for women where potential reproductive hazards are considered to be present. The comparison group comprised all other employed women not included in the occupational sector being assessed. We performed meta-analyses of cohort-specific estimates and explored heterogeneity.RESULTS: Employees had a lower risk of preterm delivery than non-employees [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.81-0.91]. Working in most of the occupational sectors studied was not associated with adverse birth outcomes. Being employed as a nurse was associated with lower risk SGA infants (ORadj 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.99) whereas food industry workers had an increased risk of preterm delivery (ORadj 1.50, 95% CI 1.12-2.02). There was little evidence for heterogeneity between cohorts.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that, overall, employment during pregnancy is associated with a reduction in the risk of preterm birth and that work in certain occupations may affect pregnancy outcomes. This exploratory study provides an important platform on which to base further prospective studies focused on the potential consequences of maternal occupational exposures during pregnancy on child development.

KW - Birth Weight

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Employment

KW - Europe

KW - Female

KW - Gestational Age

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Humans

KW - Infant, Low Birth Weight

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Infant, Small for Gestational Age

KW - Maternal Exposure

KW - Meta-Analysis as Topic

KW - Occupations

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Outcome

KW - Premature Birth

KW - Regression Analysis

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

U2 - 10.5271/sjweh.3500

DO - 10.5271/sjweh.3500

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25940455

VL - 41

SP - 384

EP - 396

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health

SN - 0355-3140

IS - 4

ER -