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Maternal occupation during pregnancy, birth weight, and length of gestation: Combined analysis of 13 European birth cohorts
Casas, M. Cordier, Sylvaine Martínez, David Barros, Henrique Bonde, Jens Peter Burdorf, Alex Costet, Nathalie dos Santos, Ana Cristina Danileviciute, Asta Eggesbø, Merete
Casas, M.
Cordier, Sylvaine
Martínez, David
Barros, Henrique
Bonde, Jens Peter
Burdorf, Alex
Costet, Nathalie
dos Santos, Ana Cristina
Danileviciute, Asta
Eggesbø, Merete
Author
Casas, M.
Cordier, Sylvaine
Martínez, David
Barros, Henrique
Bonde, Jens Peter
Burdorf, Alex
Costet, Nathalie
dos Santos, Ana Cristina
Danileviciute, Asta
Eggesbø, Merete
Fernandez, Mariana F.
Fevotte, Joelle
García, Ana M.
Gražulevičienė, Regina
Hallner, Eva
Hanke, Wojciech
Kogevinas, Manolis
Kull, Inger
Larsen, Pernille Stemann
Melaki, Vasiliki
Monfort, Christine
Nordby, Karl-Christian
Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo
Patelarou, Evridiki
Polanska, Kinga
Richiardi, Lorenzo
Marina, Loreto Santa
Snijder, Claudia
Tardón, Adonina
van Eijsden, M.
Vrijkotte, T. G. M.
Zugna, D.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Vrijheid, M.
Cordier, Sylvaine
Martínez, David
Barros, Henrique
Bonde, Jens Peter
Burdorf, Alex
Costet, Nathalie
dos Santos, Ana Cristina
Danileviciute, Asta
Eggesbø, Merete
Fernandez, Mariana F.
Fevotte, Joelle
García, Ana M.
Gražulevičienė, Regina
Hallner, Eva
Hanke, Wojciech
Kogevinas, Manolis
Kull, Inger
Larsen, Pernille Stemann
Melaki, Vasiliki
Monfort, Christine
Nordby, Karl-Christian
Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo
Patelarou, Evridiki
Polanska, Kinga
Richiardi, Lorenzo
Marina, Loreto Santa
Snijder, Claudia
Tardón, Adonina
van Eijsden, M.
Vrijkotte, T. G. M.
Zugna, D.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Vrijheid, M.
Abstract
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.
Keywords
birth cohort, birth weight, cohort study, Europe, European birth cohort, length of gestation, low birth weight, maternal occupation, meta-analysis, pregnancy, preterm delivery, small for gestational age
Date
2015
Type
Journal article
Journal
Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment and Health
Book
Volume
41
Issue
4
Page Range
384-396
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
File Access
Open