title: Differences in folic acid use, prenatal care, smoking, and drinking in early pregnancy by occupation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe differences in four high risk periconceptional behaviors (lack of folic acid supplementation, lack of early prenatal care, smoking, and drinking) by maternal occupation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses were conducted among women in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study who delivered liveborn infants without birth defects. Periconceptional occupational data were collected using a computer-assisted telephone interview and occupational coding was performed using the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification System. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether prevalence of behaviors differed between occupational groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects included 5153 women employed during early pregnancy from 1997 to 2007. Compared to women in management, business, science, and arts occupations, women in other occupations (e.g., service occupations) were significantly more likely to engage in all four high risk behaviors. Specifically, women in food preparation/serving-related occupations were significantly more likely to engage in all four behaviors compared to women in all other occupational groups (odds ratios: 1.8-3.0), while women in education/training/library occupations were significantly less likely to do so (odds ratios: 0.2-0.5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified several occupational groups with an increased prevalence of high-risk maternal behaviors during pregnancy. Our findings could aid in developing interventions targeted towards women in these occupational groups.
authors: Human Genetics Center, Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler Dr., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Agopian
authors: Human Genetics Center, Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler Dr., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors: Philip J
authors: PJ
authors: Lupo
authors: New York State Department of Health, Center for Environmental Health, 547 River Street, Troy, NY 12180, USA.
authors: Michele L
authors: ML
authors: Herdt-Losavio
authors: Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, PO Box 149347, MC 1964, Austin, TX 78714-9347, USA.
authors: Peter H
authors: PH
authors: Langlois
authors: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
authors: Carissa M
authors: CM
authors: Rocheleau
authors: Human Genetics Center, Division of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Herman Pressler Dr., Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: laura.e.mitchell@uth.tmc.edu.
authors: Laura E
authors: LE
authors: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009790:Occupations; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid