ABSTRACT
To determine the scope of teratogen information available to the public through the media, a survey of 15 popular magazines was conducted. All 1985 issues of the selected magazines were reviewed for articles addressing pregnancy exposure concerns, yielding 56 articles from 10 magazines. The remaining 5 publications provided no pertinent articles. Two health professionals, both experienced teratology counselors, independently rated each article for accuracy of content and quality of presentation based on standardized evaluation criteria. The findings were compared and agreement for all criteria in each article was reached by the 2 reviewers. Regarding the quality of the information in the 56 articles, 31 (55.4%) were scored as misleading or inaccurate. On examination of overall presentation, 26 (46.4%) were rated as alarming and 8 (14.3%) presented a false sense of security; 22 (39.3%) provided a balanced presentation. A review of the types of articles rated revealed 19 (33.9%) general overviews of pregnancy issues, 18 (32.1%) news stories, 17 (30.4%) question-and-answer columns, and 2 (3.6%) feature stories. Of the reviewed papers, 7 (12.5%) included a citation from which the primary data could be obtained and only 14 of the articles (25%) suggested that the reader contact her/his healthcare provider regarding the issues. We conclude that the information available in popular magazines regarding exposures in pregnancy is frequently misleading, alarming, and unsupported by the scientific literature.
Subject(s)
Periodicals as Topic , Pregnancy , Teratogens , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , HumansABSTRACT
We report a case of pigeon breeder's lung in which chronic airflow obstruction and not restrictive lung disease was predominant. The patient's disease was severe enough to require hospitalizations twice to reverse respiratory failure. Helium-oxygen flow volume curves were consistent with a peripheral site of flow limitation, and immunoserological studies disclosed specific IgE as well as precipitating antibody responses to pigeon antigens. Immunological studies on 18 other patients with pigeon breeder's lung demonstrated a prevalence rate of specific IgE antibodies of 78%, a frequency not previously recognized. Exposures to avian antigens must be considered in patients with obstructive lung disease of unknown etiology.
