MANAGEMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL RISK TO REPRODUCTION IN A DANISH COUNTY

In Denmark pregnant women are entitled to receive maintenance allowanc es if the working conditions are suspected to be harmful to the fetus. The aim of the study was to evaluate these preventive measures taken to reduce occupational hazards to reproduction in Denmark. In 1985 1,2 47 pregnancies were identified in Ribe county during a 6-month period. Three hundred and fortyfive women employed at the beginning of the pr egnancy in manufacturing industries, construction work, health service s, or agriculture were interviewed by telephone concerning their worki ng conditions and the measures taken to reduce possible occupational r isks. The response rate was 85%. On the basis of the interviews the ri sks and the preventive measures were assessed. Out of 200 women who ha d no changes in the working conditions during pregnancy, 46 (23%) had a working situation which was considered potentially harmful. For 57 t he working situation was changed during the first months of pregnancy because of an assumed risk. The remaining 37 were out of work or recei ved maintenance allowances because of occupational hazards. In this st udy a greater awareness than expected about possible occupational risk s was found, but in some instances occupational risks were overlooked or neglected.