title: Occupational Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Birth Weight and Length of Gestation: A European Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women of reproductive age can be exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) at work, and exposure to EDCs in pregnancy may affect fetal growth.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We assessed whether maternal occupational exposure to EDCs during pregnancy as classified by application of a job exposure matrix was associated with birth weight, term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using individual participant data from 133,957 mother-child pairs in 13 European cohorts spanning births from 1994 through 2011, we linked maternal job titles with exposure to 10 EDC groups as assessed through a job exposure matrix. For each group, we combined the two levels of exposure categories (possible and probable) and compared birth outcomes with the unexposed group (exposure unlikely). We performed meta-analyses of cohort-specific estimates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven percent of pregnant women were classified as exposed to EDCs at work during pregnancy, based on job title. Classification of exposure to one or more EDC group was associated with an increased risk of term LBW [odds ratio (OR) = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.49], as were most specific EDC groups; this association was consistent across cohorts. Further, the risk increased with increasing number of EDC groups (OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.10, 4.06 for exposure to four or more EDC groups). There were few associations (p < 0.05) with the other outcomes; women holding job titles classified as exposed to bisphenol A or brominated flame retardants were at higher risk for longer length of gestation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results from our large population-based birth cohort design indicate that employment during pregnancy in occupations classified as possibly or probably exposed to EDCs was associated with an increased risk of term LBW. Citation: Birks L, Casas M, Garcia AM, Alexander J, Barros H, Bergström A, Bonde JP, Burdorf A, Costet N, Danileviciute A, Eggesbø M, Fernández MF, González-Galarzo MC, Gražulevičienė R, Hanke W, Jaddoe V, Kogevinas M, Kull I, Lertxundi A, Melaki V, Andersen AM, Olea N, Polanska K, Rusconi F, Santa-Marina L, Santos AC, Vrijkotte T, Zugna D, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Cordier S, Vrijheid M. 2016. Occupational exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and birth weight and length of gestation: a European meta-analysis. Environ Health Perspect 124:1785-1793; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP208.
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Birks
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casas
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Jens Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bonde
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burdorf
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Costet
authors.forename: Asta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danileviciute
authors.forename: Merete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eggesbø
authors.forename: Mariana F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: González-Galarzo
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hanke
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kogevinas
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kull
authors.forename: Aitana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lertxundi
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Melaki
authors.forename: Anne-Marie Nybo
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Olea
authors.forename: Kinga
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polanska
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rusconi
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santa-Marina
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vrijkotte
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zugna
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuijsen
authors.forename: Sylvaine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordier
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vrijheid
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors