A survey of obstetric complications and pregnancy outcomes in paediatric and nonpaediatric anaesthesiologists.
BACKGROUND
Obstetric complications such as spontaneous abortion, preterm labour, preterm delivery, low birth weight and congenital anomalies may be associated with exposure to anaesthetic gases. We hypothesized that female anaesthesiologists practicing primarily paediatric anaesthesia, with increased exposure to trace anaesthetic agents, experience a greater prevalence of obstetric complications than female anaesthesiologists performing primarily adult anaesthesia.


METHODS
Questionnaires were sent to all female Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) members and to an equal number of randomly selected female American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) members. Subjects were asked to answer questions regarding their pregnancy outcomes, work history and personal habits. Parametric data were analysed by unpaired t-tests. Nonparametric data were analysed by chi-square, Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test as appropriate.


RESULTS
Paediatric anaesthesiologists were defined as those having >75% paediatric practice. Paediatric anaesthesiologists were older and had greater operating room exposure during their pregnancies than nonpaediatric anaesthesiologists. There was a significantly higher prevalence of spontaneous abortion among paediatric anaesthesiologists than nonpaediatric anaesthesiologists. In an exploratory analysis, the following factors were found to be significantly associated with the development of spontaneous abortion: age >35 years, gravida >1, exercise during pregnancy, percentage of inhalational anaesthetics >75% and paediatric anaesthesia practice >75%. Independent risk factors for spontaneous abortion among anaesthesiologists included exercise (>1 time/week) and age.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest a higher prevalence of spontaneous abortion in anaesthesiologists whose practice is >75% paediatrics.
Gauger
Virginia T
VT
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. vthompso@umich.edu
Voepel-Lewis
Terri
T
Rubin
Philip
P
Kostrzewa
Amy
A
Tait
Alan R
AR
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects; D003625:Data Collection; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010372:Pediatrics; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation