ASSOCIATION OF SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION AND OTHER REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS WITH WORK IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY

This study tested the hypothesis that fabrication room (fab) work in t he silicon-based semiconductor industry is associated with an increase d risk of spontaneous abortion (SAB). The study was conducted nationwi de at 14 companies representing a spectrum of large to small manufactu rers. A small increase in risk of SAB was observed among fab workers c ompared with nonfabrication room (nonfab) workers in two cohorts, hist orical (adjusted RR = 1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95-2.09) an d prospective (adjusted RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.63-1.76). Analysis of sp ecific fab exposures in the historical cohort showed a consistent, dos e-response association of SAB with photoresist and developer solvents, whose major component was ethylene-based glycol ethers. The consisten cy of our findings and the toxicological data for these agents suggest that this is a causal association. Independent associations of SAB wi th self-reported stress and with etching fluorides were observed and r equire further research. No significant decrease in fertility was obse rved among men or women working in fabs, but reduced fecundability was suggested for some women fab workers. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.