Work, environment and reproductive health
Year: 2012
Type: dissertation
Abstract: With the increasing labour force participation among women in Western countries, many \nwomen will work during their reproductive years. This will increase the likelihood that women \nduring their reproductive years will be exposed to a variety of risk factors at work that may effect \ntheir reproductive abilities and the outcome of their pregnancy, such as spontaneous abortion, \nhypertensive disorders, intrauterine growth restriction, and adverse birth outcomes. \nOccupational exposures may also interact with foetal development, resulting in health effects \nin the offspring, such as congenital malformations and neurobehavioural disorders at young \nage. For several work-related risk factors the associations with reproductive effects are well \nestablished and translated into legislation, such as mandatory provisions for pregnant women \npreparing antineoplastic drugs or being exposed to lead. However, for many other work-related \nrisk factors, the scientific evidence is less consistent. Work-related risk factors can be divided \ninto chemical agents such as metals, solvents, pesticides, physical agents such as radiation and \nnoise, and ergonomic factors such as heavy workload, shift work, and psychosocial stress.
Author: Claudia A. Snijder
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W122627017