Research Plus

Hospital workers’ pregnancy outcomes

Danish research findings are generally reassuring on the risks to hospital workers who continue to work during pregnancy. A cohort of 5,976 pregnant female hospital workers was compared to a reference group of 60,890 pregnant women in other occupations. No significant associations were found between hospital work and either foetal loss, preterm birth, infant gender or small for- gestational-age infants. There were slightly raised prevalences of congenital abnormalities in some hospital subgroups, potentially due to exposure to hazardous chemicals, shiftwork or physically demanding work.

International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 2009; 15(4): 402–409. 

Tags evidence based practice pregnancy, menopause and reproductive health

Occupational Health at Work December/January 2009/2010 (vol. 06/4) pp40