title: Congenital malformations related to maternal exposure to specific agents in biomedical research laboratories.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate major congenital and neural crest malformations (NCM; craniofacial and conotruncal defects) in the offspring of laboratory employees.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 1951 females was linked to the Medical Birth Register (3003 pregnancies). Exposure information was based on questionnaires. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of "major malformations" were 2.3% (n = 41; exposed) and 1.9% (n = 23; unexposed). For the major malformations, solvent exposure before the third trimester gave an OR of 1.8 (CI = 1.0-2.9); "laboratory work in general," of 1.2 (CI = 0.7-2.0) unadjusted. OR for benzene use around conception/organogenesis was 5.3 (CI = 1.4-21.1) for NCM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant risk for laboratory work in general was seen, but there was an increased ratio for NCM relative to solvents, especially benzene. These results are based on small numbers and should be interpreted cautiously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, Novum Research Park, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. helena.wennborg@biosci.ki.se
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wennborg
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.forename: Jørn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017056:Medical Laboratory Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D012306:Risk; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D012997:Solvents; D001554:Benzene