The effect of occupational and environmental factors on the pregnancy for Down's syndrome / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of occupational and environmental factors on the pregnancy for Down's syndrome. METHODS: By systematic sampling method,97 pregnant women who had been diagnosed as Down's syndrome by Giemsa staining on fetal chromosomes in chorionic villus sampling,amniocentesis,or umbilical cord blood sampling were selected as the case group,while 373 non-Down's syndrome pregnant women after same examinations during the same period in the same hospital were selected as the control group. The history of exposure before pregnancy to occupational and environmental factors was analyzed. RESULTS: The pregnant women aged over 35 years had higher risk of Down's syndrome than those aged under 35 years( P < 0. 01). The pregnant women with occupational exposure to organic solvents containing benzene had higher risk of Down's syndrome than those without occupational exposure history to hazardous substances( P < 0. 01). The pregnant women using estrogenic drugs before pregnancy or during early pregnancy had higher risk of Down's syndrome than those without drug use( P < 0. 05). The pregnant women living in newly-decorated houses or using the new furniture had higher risk of Down's syndrome than those without new decoration( P < 0. 01). The pregnant women with pre-pregnancy intake of folic acid had lower risk of Down's syndrome than those without any intake of folic acid supplement( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The age,occupational exposure to benzene solvents and taking estrogenic drugs were the major leading factors of development of Down's syndrome.