Maternal occupation and risk for low birth weight delivery: assessment using state birth registry data.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of employment on low birth weight (LBW) in a service-based economy, we evaluated the association of LBW delivery with occupational data collected in a state birth registry.


METHODS
Occupational data in the 2000 Connecticut birth registry were coded for 41,009 singleton births. Associations between employment and LBW delivery were analyzed using logistic regression controlling for covariates in the registry data set.


RESULTS
Evidence for improved LBW outcomes in working mothers did not persist when adjusted for maternal covariates. Among working mothers, elevated risk of LBW was seen in textile, food service, personal appearance, material dispatching or distributing, and retail sales workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved overall birth outcomes seen in working mothers may arise from favorable demographic and health attributes. Higher LBW risk was seen in several types of service sector jobs and in textile work.
Meyer
John D
JD
Section of Occupational and Environmental Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health, Division of Public Health and Population Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-6210, USA. meyer@uchc.edu
Nichols
Ginger H
GH
Warren
Nicholas
N
Reisine
Susan
S
D000328:Adult; D001719:Birth Certificates; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*