Maternal occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields before, during, and after pregnancy in relation to risks of childhood cancers: Findings fromthe Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers, 1953-1981 deaths

Background The concern that maternal exposure to electomagnetic fields (EMF ) might be related to childhood cancer risks, particularly leukemia risks. Methods Maternal occupational data already collected as part of the Oxford Survey of Childhood Cancers have been reviewed. Information on occupations held before, during, and after the pregnancy was sought for 15,041 children dying of cancer in Great Britain in the period 1953-1981, and for an equal number of matched controls. Each period of working was classified under on e of five headings: (1) sewing machinist; (2) textile industry workers (oth er than sewing machinists) with likely exposures to EMF; (3) other machinis ts and other jobs with likely "higher" EMF exposure; (4) other jobs with li kely exposure to some EMF, and (5) jobs with little potential for EMF expos ure. Results Relative to risks in the children of mothers who held occupations w ith little potential for EMF exposure during pregnancy (a category that inc luded housewives), risks of all childhood cancers were close to unity both for the children of sewing machinists (22 case and 31 control mothers, RR 0 72, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.25) and for the children of other machinists with like ly "higher" EMF exposures (44 case and 47 control mothers, RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.41). Corresponding risks for all childhood leukemias and for all childhood brain cancers were similarly unexceptional. Simultaneous adjustme nt for social class, maternal age at birth of child, and sibship position h ad little effect. Conclusions The study findings did not indicate that maternal occupational exposure to EMF during pregnancy is a risk factor for childhood leukemias, childhood brain cancers, or the generality of all childhood cancers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 35:348-357, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.