Investigation of spontaneous abortion among video-display-terminal users. Final report
NIOSH conducted a study of 2,430 female telephone operators to determine if exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by video display terminals (VDT's) were associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion. Exposure levels were determined using company records of weekly hours of VDT use and measurements of electromagnetic fields at VDT workstations. Operators who used VDT's had higher abdominal exposure to very low frequency (VLF) (15 kHz) electromagnetic. Workstations without VDT's did not emit VLF energy. Abdominal exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) (45 to 60Hz) was similar for operators who used VDT's and those who did not. The authors found no excess risk of spontaneous abortion for VDT use in the first trimester of pregnancy and no dose-response relationship resulting from weekly hours of VDT use. Significant associations were found for other risk factors e.g. cigarette smoking, thyroid disorder, alcohol consumption. The potential association of spontaneous abortion and physical or psychological stress could not be addressed in the study design. The authors conclude that VDT use and exposure to the accompanying electromagnetic fields were not associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion in the study.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5600340
- Report Number(s):
- PB-91-189209/XAB
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Prepared in cooperation with American Cancer Society, Inc., Atlanta, GA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ABORTION
EPIDEMIOLOGY
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
FEMALES
NIOSH
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
PERSONNEL
REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS
RISK ASSESSMENT
HAZARDS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
US ORGANIZATIONS
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects