title: Paternal occupational exposures and the risk of congenital malformations--a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the association between certain paternal occupational exposures during the periconceptional period and the risk of congenital malformations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was carried out from December 2009 to April 2010; on 242 congenital malformation cases and 270 controls. Paternal occupational exposure to certain workplace hazards was assessed by a detailed questionnaire to evaluate the occupational exposure for both fathers and mothers including pesticides, solvents, welding fumes, lead, working with video display terminals (VDTs) and computer monitors. In addition, the questionnaire assessed the presence of other risk factors such as consanguinity, smoking and history of any maternal diseases during the pregnancy with the child.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that the odds of having a child with congenital malformation was higher (P < 0.01) if the father was occupationally exposed to pesticides (OR: 3.42, 95% CI: 1.97-5.92), solvents (OR: 5.63, 95% CI: 2.77-11.42), or welding fumes (OR: 2.98, 0.99-8.54) during the periconceptional period. However, consanguinity (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.25-2.92) was a risk factor of developing congenital malformations among offspring.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Control of workplace exposures and adherence to threshold limit values of those hazards should be adopted to minimize the risk of developing congenital malformations among offspring.
authors: Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. mhelaly72@gmail.com
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: El-Helaly
authors: Kamal
authors: K
authors: Abdel-Elah
authors: Ayman
authors: A
authors: Haussein
authors: Hend
authors: H
authors: Shalaby