Spontaneous Abortions of Known Karyotype Related to Occupational and Environmental Factors: A Case-Referent Study

The aim of the study was to examine the roles of occupational and environmental factors in relation to spontaneous abortions with known karyotypes. A case-referent study was performed among 793 women hospitalized for spontaneous abortion and 808 referents attending ultrasound screening at 17-18 weeks of pregnancy. Chromosomal analysis were obtained for 371 abortuses and 679 referent newborns. Significantly elevated odds ratios (ORs) for abortions with abnormal chromosomes were found for maternal psychological strain at work (OR:1.8), exposure to anesthetic gases (OR:6.9), video display unit work >/= 1/2 working day (OR:1.9), and sales work (OR:2.0). An association with paternal security work (OR:3.0) was possibly confounded by maternal exposure to psychological strain. Abortuses with normal chromosomes were associated with maternal sales work (OR:1.9) and psychological (OR:2.3) and physical (OR:1.6) strain at home, and with paternal construction work (OR:2.1) and physical strain at home (OR:1.9). No relationship between air pollution and spontaneous abortion was observed regardless of karyotype.