Maternal occupation and delivery outcome: a study using central registry data

The outcome of all deliveries in Sweden in 1981 has been studied. The occupation of each mother was obtained by record linkage using census data from November 1980. Rates of perinatal deaths or congenital malformations did not vary according to maternal occupation, more than might be expected to happen by chance, which indicated that maternal occupation is not a major factor in the outcome of these deliveries. There was variation in the rates of low birth weight infants, according to maternal occupation, which may have been an effect of socioeconomic factors associated with the occupation. Within occupational groups, working situations may exist which entail an increased teratogenic risk, but in order to reveal such risks, studies with a different design must be carried out.