Dr.Sultan
09-23-2007, 11:26 PM
Pregnancy outcome following exposure to shortwaves among female physiotherapists in Israel
Yehuda Lerman, MD, MPH 1 3 *, Ruben Jacubovich, MD 1, Manfred S. Green, MD, PhD 2 3
1Occupational Health and Rehabilitation Institute, Ra'annana, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
2The Israel Center for Disease Control, Gertner Institute, Tel-Hashomer, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
3The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
email: Yehuda Lerman (ylerman@post.tau.ac.il)
*Correspondence to Yehuda Lerman, Occupational Health Center, Sherutei Beriut Clalit, 101 Arlozorov St., Tel-Aviv 62098, Israel.
Keywords
electromagnetic radiation; shortwaves; diathermy; pregnancy outcome; birth weight; prematurity; spontaneous abortion; congenital malformations; physiotherapy
Abstract
Background
The findings of the few epidemiological studies on the possible association between shortwave diathermy use by pregnant physiotherapists and adverse pregnancy outcome are inconsistent. We investigated such an association among physiotherapists in Israel.
Methods
Individualized data on exposure to shortwaves, ultrasound, and heavy lifting were collected by questionnaires and telephone interviews.
Results
The 434 studied women included 930 pregnancies: 175 ended in spontaneous abortions, 45 had fetal malformations, 47 were delivered prematurely, and 33 infants had low birth weight. The remaining 630 normal pregnancies comprised the control group. Univariate analysis showed that exposure to shortwaves was associated with a significantly increased odds ratio (O.R.) for congenital malformations (O.R. 2.24, CI 1.27-4.83, P = .006) and low birth weight (O.R. 2.99, CI 1.32-6,79, P = .006). This effect increased in a dose-related manner. After controlling for potential confounding variables, only low birth weight reached statistical significance (O.R. 2.75, CI 1.07-7.04, P = .03). From the potentially confounding variables tested, febrile disease during pregnancy was found to be significantly associated with low birth weight (O.R. 3.37, CI 1.38-8.25, P = .01).
Conclusions
The findings of our study suggest that shortwaves have potentially harmful effects on pregnancy outcome, specifically low birth weight. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:499-504, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
المصدر
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/c...02325/ABSTRACT
Yehuda Lerman, MD, MPH 1 3 *, Ruben Jacubovich, MD 1, Manfred S. Green, MD, PhD 2 3
1Occupational Health and Rehabilitation Institute, Ra'annana, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
2The Israel Center for Disease Control, Gertner Institute, Tel-Hashomer, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
3The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
email: Yehuda Lerman (ylerman@post.tau.ac.il)
*Correspondence to Yehuda Lerman, Occupational Health Center, Sherutei Beriut Clalit, 101 Arlozorov St., Tel-Aviv 62098, Israel.
Keywords
electromagnetic radiation; shortwaves; diathermy; pregnancy outcome; birth weight; prematurity; spontaneous abortion; congenital malformations; physiotherapy
Abstract
Background
The findings of the few epidemiological studies on the possible association between shortwave diathermy use by pregnant physiotherapists and adverse pregnancy outcome are inconsistent. We investigated such an association among physiotherapists in Israel.
Methods
Individualized data on exposure to shortwaves, ultrasound, and heavy lifting were collected by questionnaires and telephone interviews.
Results
The 434 studied women included 930 pregnancies: 175 ended in spontaneous abortions, 45 had fetal malformations, 47 were delivered prematurely, and 33 infants had low birth weight. The remaining 630 normal pregnancies comprised the control group. Univariate analysis showed that exposure to shortwaves was associated with a significantly increased odds ratio (O.R.) for congenital malformations (O.R. 2.24, CI 1.27-4.83, P = .006) and low birth weight (O.R. 2.99, CI 1.32-6,79, P = .006). This effect increased in a dose-related manner. After controlling for potential confounding variables, only low birth weight reached statistical significance (O.R. 2.75, CI 1.07-7.04, P = .03). From the potentially confounding variables tested, febrile disease during pregnancy was found to be significantly associated with low birth weight (O.R. 3.37, CI 1.38-8.25, P = .01).
Conclusions
The findings of our study suggest that shortwaves have potentially harmful effects on pregnancy outcome, specifically low birth weight. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:499-504, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
المصدر
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/c...02325/ABSTRACT