Pregnancy Outcomes among Female Dental personnel-a registry-based Retrospective Cohort Study

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Vol. 37; no. 6; pp. 539 - 546
• Main Authors: Heggland, Ingrid, Irgens, Ågot, Tollånes, Mette, Romundstad, Pål, Syversen, Tore, Svendsen, Kristin, Melø, Inger, Hilt, Bjørn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Helsinki Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health 01.11.2011; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; National Institute of Occupational Health; National Research Centre for the Working Environment; Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health; Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health; Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH)
• Subjects: Archives & records; Biological and medical sciences; birth defect; Birth weight; Central nervous system; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Children; cohort study; Congenital defects; congenital malformation; Control groups; Copper; Dental assistants; dental personnel; dental work; dentist; Dentistry; Dentists; Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology; Employment; Female; female dental personnel; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gestational age; Health care; Humans; Labor unions; Low birth weight; Medical sciences; Mercury; Mercury vapor; metallic mercury; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Mortality; Multiple births; norway; Pediatric dentistry; Population; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Registries; Reproduction; Retrospective Studies; Teratology. Teratogens; Toxicology; Vapors; Womens health; Workforce; Norway; Europe; metallic mercury; Norway; congenital malformation; mercury; birth defect; dental work; dentist; Prognosis; Dentist; Retrospective study; Occupational exposure; Epidemiology; Cohort study; Female; Woman; Public health; Human; Congenital; Health staff; Teratology; Heavy metal; Pregnancy; Newborn diseases; Newborn; Malformation; Register; Mercury; Occupational medicine
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3175

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether women who have worked as dental personnel in Norway, a group with possible previous exposure to mercury vapor, have had an excess risk of having children with congenital malformations or other adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to the general population. Methods A cohort of female dental personnel was identified from the archives of the public dental healthcare and the national trade unions in Norway. Data on births and pregnancy outcomes during 1967–2006 were obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). The final cohort of dental personnel consisted of 4482 dental assistants and 1011 dentists. All other women registered in the MBRN were assigned to the control group, in total 1 124 758. Excess risks of several adverse pregnancy outcomes for dental personnel compared to the general population were estimated. Analyses were conducted for the whole time period as well as stratified by 10-year periods. Results Female dental personnel had no observed increased occurrence of congenital malformations (including malformations of the central nervous system, dysplasia of the hip, clubfoot, malformations of the heart and great vessels), low birth weight, preterm birth, small for gestational age, changed gender ratio, multiple birth, stillbirth, or prenatal death. Conclusion On a group level, we did not observe any excess risks of congenital malformations or other adverse pregnancy outcomes among female dental personnel in Norway during 1967–2006 compared to the general population.