The prevalence of selected pregnancy outcome risk factors in the life-style and medical history of the delivering population in north-western Russia.
OBJECTIVE
A population-based birth registry has been set up for the Arctic town of Moncegorsk in north-western Russia. This investigation describes the health status of the delivering population, including pregnancy history and the prevalence of obesity, infections, smoking and alcohol abuse during the pregnancy period. An overview of the occupations of the delivering population is also presented.


METHODS
The birth registry contains detailed and verified information about the newborn, delivery, pregnancy and the mother for 21,214 births by women from Moncegorsk in the period 1973-97.


RESULTS
Of the delivering women, 15.7% had experienced one or more spontaneous abortions, and 47.4% had at least one induced abortion. More than 9% had suffered pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in their past. The local nickel company employed 9016 (42.5%) of the delivering women; of these 17% worked in production areas with exposures to compounds of nickel, among other hazards, and 38% are judged to have had possible, or probable, exposure of this type.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with the delivering population in Norway, that in Moncegorsk was younger and had a lower prevalence of obesity, diabetes and heavy smoking. The most worrisome findings were the high prevalence of a history of abortion and PID. A relatively high proportion of the women worked in physically demanding, or/and nickel-exposed occupations.
Vaktskjold
Arild
A
Institutt for samfunnsmedisin, Universitetet i Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway. arild.vaktskjold@ism.uit.no
Arild
Vaktsjold
V
Paulsen
Elise Erna
EE
Elise
Paulsen Erna
PE
Talykova
Ljudmila
L
Ljudmila
Talykova
T
Nieboer
Evert
E
Evert
Nieboer
N
Odland
Jon Øyvind
JØ
Øyvind
Odland Jon
OJ
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001110:Arctic Regions; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology
D009532:Nickel