PARENTAL OCCUPATIONS AS RISK-FACTORS FOR CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS IN OFFSPRING

In a population-based case-control study, we examined relations betwee n maternal and paternal occupations and the risk of infant craniosynos tosis. Cases were 212 children born to Colorado residents and diagnose d during 1986-1989 with radiographically confirmed synostosis of unkno wn etiology. Controls were 291 children randomly selected from state b irth records and frequency matched to cases on month and year of birth . Trained staff conducted telephone interviews of mothers of case and control children. Information was obtained about each job held by eith er parent during the pregnancy, and any job that the father held durin g the 3 months before the last menstrual period before conception. Job s were coded using 1980 Census occupation and industry codes, We found no strong associations for maternal occupations. Of paternal occupati ons, two groups were associated with moderately increased odds ratios after adjustment for maternal smoking and altitude: agriculture and fo restry (odds ratio = 2.3; 95% confidence interval = 1.0-5.2), and mech anics and repairmen (odds ratio = 2.7; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-6 .1). For both, the odds ratios were higher for males.