title: Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Reproductive-Age Female Operators of Plastic Welding Machines in Fuzhou, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the health effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) among female operators of plastic welding machines.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 180 female operators in shoe factories as the exposed group, and 349 female workers from nearby supermarkets as the unexposed group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean radiation levels in the vicinity of the welding machines ranged from 51.3 to 368.9 V/m. The prevalence of neurovegetative symptoms increased with higher EMFs exposures (P < 0.05). The prevalence of menstrual disorder was 12.0% in the unexposed group, but was 26.8% and 33.8% in low and high-exposure groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Exposure-response relationships were found between cumulate exposure and neurovegetative symptoms and menstrual disorder (P < 0.05). Serum progesterone (P4) was significantly lower in the exposed groups (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EMFs exposure was associated with adverse health effects, including neurovegetative symptoms, menstrual disorder, and low level of P4.
authors: Fuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Dr Xu, Zhang); School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, P. R of China (Dr Xu, Chen, Ren, Lin); Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Louisville, Kentucky (Dr Zhang).
authors: Youqiong
authors: Y
authors: Xu
authors: Xiaoyang
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Ren
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Lin
authors: Qunwei
authors: Q
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010969:Plastics; D015995:Prevalence; D014896:Welding; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics