Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
06:11
Monitoring Blood Glucose in Mouse Offspring After Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
Published on: May 17, 2024
Laboratory work and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
J A Halliday-Bell1, R Quansah, M Gissler
1Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine-University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|March 24, 2010
Summary
Laboratory work during pregnancy is linked to adverse outcomes, including low birth weight and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants. This study suggests potential risks for fetal growth in female laboratory workers.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Reproductive epidemiology
- Environmental health
Background:
- Laboratory workers face exposures to chemical, biological, and physical agents.
- Prolonged poor postures and manual handling are common in laboratory settings.
- These occupational factors may elevate the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between laboratory work during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
- To compare risks between laboratory workers and a reference population (teachers).
Main Methods:
- Utilized the 1990-2006 Finnish Medical Birth Registry.
- Included singleton newborns of 5,425 laboratory workers and 21,438 teachers.
- Analyzed outcomes like birth weight, gestational age, and perinatal death using generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis.
Main Results:
- Laboratory workers had a higher risk of low birth weight (adjusted OR: 1.27) and small-for-gestational age (SGA) (adjusted OR: 1.27).
- A lower prevalence of high birth weight (> or = 4000 g) was observed in newborns of laboratory workers (adjusted OR: 0.90).
- A trend towards a significantly higher prevalence of post-term deliveries was noted (adjusted OR: 1.16).
Conclusions:
- Evidence suggests laboratory work during pregnancy may be associated with reduced fetal growth.
- Findings highlight potential occupational risks impacting pregnancy outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
01:41Spermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...