Authors
Grajewski-B; Schnorr-TM; Reefhuis-J; Roeleveld-N; Salvan-A; Mueller-CA; Conover-DL; Murray-WE
Source
Am J Ind Med 1997 Dec; 32(6):681-688
Abstract
A study was conducted examining the risk of reduced birthweight and preterm births among workers who used video display terminals (VDTs). Reproductive histories and pregnancy outcomes were assessed in directory assistance telephone operators who used VDTs at work and general telephone operators who did not use VDTs at work. A group of 2,430 women were interviewed for the survey, and among them there were 713 single live births from 647 women. Of these, there were 304 births in which the mother had been exposed to VDTs at some time during the pregnancy, 403 births among unexposed mothers, and 6 ruled ineligible for the survey. No significant differences between groups were seen for birthweight or gestational length. Additionally, no differences in risk of reduced birthweight or preterm birth were seen in VDT exposed women working with VDTs with different levels of very low frequency and extremely low frequency radiation emissions. The authors conclude that the occupational use of VDTs was not associated with reduced birthweight or preterm birth in this study, however, the results do not imply a lack of association between all EMF exposures and adverse reproductive outcomes.
Keywords
NIOSH-Author; Video-display-terminals; Telephone-operators; Occupational-exposure; Reproductive-effects; Prenatal-exposure; Electromagnetic-radiation; Radiation-exposure; Electromagnetic-fields
Contact
Barbara Grajewski, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, R15, Cincinnati, OH 45226
Document Type
Journal Article
Priority Area
Other Occupational Concerns
Source Name
American Journal of Industrial Medicine