Women's reproductive health: some recent developments in occupational epidemiology

Epidemiological research on occupational hazards and reproductive health is an expanding and strongly developing area. This article focuses on some recent areas of occupational reproductive epidemiology that are or seem to be important for the future. Interest in the research on fertility has increased during the past decade, and time to pregnancy has proved to be a useful measure of fertility. The research on menstrual function or early fetal loss is still limited, and further research is desirable. It is important to chart the advantages and disadvantages of various methods for measuring these outcomes. Recently developed methods of exposure assessment provide new possibilities to improve the validity of exposure data. Biological exposure markers can also provide useful dosimeters for reproductive studies. Research on the reproductive effects of job stress and individual susceptibility to reproductive toxicants is also gaining in importance.