Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2000 Jun;12(2):258-268.

Prenatal Environmental Exposure and Pregnancy Outcomes

• Koh KS

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to examine the association of prenatal environmental exposure and pregnancy outcomes.
METHODS
Self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted for pregnant women with gestational age of 16-18 weeks, who visited the outpatient department of Dankook University Hospital from May 1995 to June 1999. Of all 1170 women, 762 women answered the questionnaires and the response rate was 65 %. Among them, 471 cases which has delivered at our hospital were included in this study.
RESULTS
Comparing the environmental risk factors and the pregnancy outcomes, there was an association between delivery of small for gestational age infants and the ingestion of herb medicine and caffeine-containing nutritional beverages. Pregnant women with occupation were more likely exposed to environmental tobacco smoking, to ingestion of nutritional drinks and green teas, to use of video display terminals and to diagnostic radiation.
CONCLUSIONS
We could get precise information from prospectively conducted questionnaire study. It is necessary to extend the study population to verify the influence of prenatal environmental factors on pregnancy outcomes.

Keyword

Prenatal exposures; Environmental exposure; Pregnancy outcomes

MeSH Terms

Beverages
Computer Terminals
Eating
Environmental Exposure*
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Occupations
Outpatients
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome*
Pregnancy*
Pregnant Women
Prospective Studies
Questionnaires
Risk Factors
Smoking
Tea
Tea