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| |  Occupational Exposure To Organic Solvents Places Fetus At Risk Of Malformations CHICAGO, IL -- March 23, 1999 -- Women exposed at work to organic solvents during pregnancy have an increased risk of major fetal malformations, according to an article in the March 24/31, 1999 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association. Sohail Khattak, M.D., F.R.C.P.C., of The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto, and colleagues studied the occurrence of fetal malformations in 125 pregnant women who were exposed to organic solvents at work during the first trimester of pregnancy. There were also 125 women in a control group. According to the authors, this study is the first to prospectively evaluate pregnancy and fetal outcome following maternal occupational exposure to organic solvents. The researchers found that there were 13 major malformations in the fetuses of women exposed to organic solvents and one in the control group. Twelve of the fetal malformations occurred among the 75 women who had symptoms associated with their exposure to organic solvents -- irritation of the eyes or respiratory system, breathing difficulty and headaches -- while none occurred among the 43 women exposed to the organic solvents who did not have symptoms. The information on exposure symptoms was not available for one of the mothers of the malformed fetuses. The authors write that many women of childbearing age are occupationally exposed to organic solvents. The most important women-dominated occupations with potential chemical exposures are health care professionals and work tasks in the clothing and textile industries, all of which involve exposure to organic solvents. In this study, the women were employed as factory workers, laboratory technicians, professional artists or graphic designers, printing industry workers, chemists, painters, office workers working in the presence of chemicals, car cleaners, veterinary technicians, orthotic manufacturers, funeral home employees, carpenters and social workers who were exposed to organic solvents. The authors report that the organic solvents the women were most commonly exposed to include aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, trichloroethylene, xylene, vinyl chloride, acetone and related compounds. According to the authors, fat-soluble organic solvents can pass through biological membranes, including the placenta. According to the authors, previous reports of the effects of organic solvents on the fetuses of pregnant women have been controversial. Reports have included increased rates of miscarriage, central nervous system and cardiovascular malformations and perinatal mortality. Reduced fertility also has been reported in women exposed to organic solvents. The major malformations varied but included deafness, clubfoot requiring correction, spina bifida and heart abnormalities. "It is prudent to minimize women's exposure to organic solvents during pregnancy," the authors write. "Moreover, symptomatic exposure appears to confer an unacceptable level of fetal exposure and should be avoided by appropriate protection and ventilation. Health care professionals who counsel families of reproductive age should inform their patients that some types of employment may influence reproductive outcomes." Related Link: The Journal of the American Medical Association
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