Author: Ericson A, Kallen B.

Source: Int Arch Occup Environ Health.

Year: 1989

Comment:

This study finds no occupational risk for pregnancy in dentists, although one child born with birth defects had both a mother and father working in the dental profession.

Abstract / Excerpt:

“Pregnancy outcome in women with work in dentistry was studied using various central health registries. A total of 8157 infants born of dentists, dental assistants, or dental technicians in 1976 or 1982-1986 in Sweden were studied with respect to perinatal survival, low birthweight, and malformations and compared with all births. The only deviating finding was that of a significantly low perinatal death rate. Specifically, no increase in a risk for spina bifida was seen and the upper 95% confidence limit for the risk ratio was 2.1. A study was also made of hospitalized spontaneous abortions in women with these occupations in the years 1980-1981. No significant deviations from expected values were found. In a small study of only 78 such pregnancies in 1964-1965, no increase in spontaneous abortion rate was seen. Only one infant was malformed (anencephaly): both its parents worked as dental technicians. None of the mothers of 220 infants with a neural tube defect born in 1965-1967 in Sweden was a dentist. We find no indications that this occupation represents a significant reproduction hazard at the present time in Sweden.”

Citation:

Ericson A, Kallen B. Pregnancy outcome in women working as dentists, dental assistants or dental technicians. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 1989; 61(5):329-33.