ECTOPIC PREGNANCY AND OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OF HOSPITAL PERSONNEL

Objectives An earlier study found a relationship between occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs and ectopic pregnancy. The present in vestigation aimed at confirming this finding in a larger and specifica lly planned study and at analyzing the relationship between ectopic pr egnancy and other chemical or physical agents in the hospital work env ironment. Methods A case-referent study (140 cases and 279 referents) was carried out in 1995 in a population of women working in hospitals throughout France. The sample size was computed to have an 80% statist ical power to detect a 2-fold increased risk of ectopic pregnancy (odd s ratio 2). Information was collected about past and present work cond itions (exposures to antineoplastic drugs, solvents, disinfectants, an esthetic gases and ionizing radiation), and known risk factors of ecto pic pregnancy. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regr ession. Results No significant association between occupational exposu re and ectopic pregnancy was found, either when past exposure was cons idered or when exposure was considered within the 3 months before conc eption. The relationships remained nonsignificant after adjustment for job category and for the known risk factors of ectopic pregnancy. Con clusions It was concluded that the results of this study should be int erpreted as an absence of relationship between exposure to chemical or physical agents and ectopic pregnancy.