PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF NOISE EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY ON BIRTH-WEIGHT

To examine the effect of noise exposure during pregnancy on infant bir th weight, a well-characterized cohort of 200 pregnant women in the fi rst trimester participating in prenatal care clinics was followed thro ughout gestation (in Taiwan, 1991). Individual 24-hour noise exposure of all women was prospectively measured, and information regarding pos sible noise exposure from traffic and occupation was also obtained. No ise exposure during pregnancy was correlated with the birth weights of the women's babies. No association between personal noise exposure me asured in decibels (less than 85 dBALeq during pregnancy) and birth we ight was found. Possible occupational noise exposure (indicated by wor king in a manual job), traffic noise exposure (indicated by distance b etween the home and main streets), and a history of listening to ampli fied music and using personal listening devices during pregnancy also showed no effect on infant birth weight. Maternal weight, maternal wei ght gained during pregnancy, gestational age, and infant's sex were th e four factors that correlated significantly with birth weight. The no ise exposure experienced by women during pregnancy may not be great en ough to affect their infants' birth weight.