Cosmetologists and reproductive outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that cosmetologists are at increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes compared with women of the same age who are not cosmetologists.


METHODS
Participants were recruited through mass mailing of questionnaires. To be included in the study, respondents to the survey had to be aged between 21 and 55 years and not have had a hysterectomy or oophorectomy. This analysis focused on 350 cosmetologists and 397 women in other occupations who met these inclusion criteria and who reported five or fewer singleton pregnancies. The main outcome measures were miscarriage, stillbirth, the occurrence of maternal health conditions during pregnancy (preeclampsia, high blood pressure, diabetes), hospitalization or physician-ordered bed rest during pregnancy, preterm labor, and premature delivery (before 37 weeks at delivery).


RESULTS
There were no statistically significant associations between occupation and the pregnancy outcomes after adjustment for age, race, education, and smoking and alcohol use at the time of pregnancy. A statistically significant association was found between race and low birth weight such that nonwhite women were at increased risk of reporting a low birth weight neonate compared with white women (odds ratio [OR] 3.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53-7.26). Similarly, current smoking was found to be positively associated with miscarriage (OR 1.53, CI 1.09-2.16) and miscarriage or stillbirth (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.18-2.28).


CONCLUSIONS
Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes among cosmetologists is not increased compared with women of the same age working in other occupations.
Gallicchio
Lisa
L
From the Prevention and Research Center, the Weinberg Center for Women's Health & Medicine, Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois.
Miller
Susan
S
Greene
Teresa
T
Zacur
Howard
H
Flaws
Jodi A
JA
D000328:Adult; D001461:Barbering / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006203:Hair Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D006203:Hair Preparations