Effect of Maternal Job Activity on Preterm Delivery, Low Birth Weight and Spontaneous Abortion

Shin, Yong Deok; Lee, Tae Yong; Lee, Young Soo; Lee, Dong Bae

Abstract

To investigate the effect of maternal job activity on the preterm delivery, low birth weight infant and spontaneous abortion, 1646 delivery data were analyzed from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1992 in Chungnam University Hospital. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The percentage of subjects who had job during pregnancy was 20.3% and the variables of maternal age, education level, prepregnancy weight, maternal height, number of abortion showed significant difference in the distribution of subjects whether they had job or not. 2. There were no significant difference between the group who had job during pregnancy and those who had no job in the mean gestational period, number of spontaneous abortion, rate of preterm delivery and spontaneous abortion. However mean birth weight and rate of low birth weight showed significant difference between the groups. 3. The rate of preterm delivery of the group who had job were higher than those who had no job activity in the subgroup of 35 years or more age, prematurity history presence, 2 or more abortion history, obstetric complication presence, but there were no significant difference. The rate of low birth weight also higher in the group who had job than those who had no job activity in the same subgroup except obstetric complication presence. 4. The rate of spontaneous abortion of the group who had job were higher than those who had no job activity in the subgroup of 35 years or more age, below high school, height of 163cm or above, but there were no significant difference. 5. Rate of preterm delivery still showed better results in the group who had job than the group who had no job when adjusted for variables related, but there was no statistical significance. 6. Rate of low birth weight still showed better results with statistical significance in the group who had job than the group who had no job when adjusted for variables related. 7. Spontaneous abortion had occured less frequently in the group who had job than the group who had no job when adjusted for variables related. 8. Rate of preterm delivery and low birth weight were lower in the group of teacher, bank clerk, medical personnel, citizen servant than the group who had no job, but higher in the job of company employee, commerce. Spontaneous abortion was most frequent in group of commerce, and the group of teacher, company employee showed higher rate of abortion than the group who had no job.