Past surveys have suggested that female textile workers may be at increased risk of adverse reproductive events including infertility, miscarriage, and still-birth. In order to address those findings, a community based case-control study of miscarriage and low birth weight is proposed for Alamance County, North Carolina since approximately 25% of the female workforce there is engaged in textile manufacturing. During the period April 1, 1988 through March 31, 1992, all hospitalized miscarriages, all low birth weight (2,500 grams) and sample of normal weight births occurring to residents of Alamance County will be identified and sought for interview, totalling 320 in each group. The interview will focus on employment, eliciting a detailed description of the job activities and work environment as well as checklist of exposures to specific chemical and physical agents, physical job demands, and occupational stressors. Potential confounding factors (including tobacco and alcohol use, prenatal care, non- occupational activities and stressors, and medical conditions) will be obtained in the interview and through subsequent medical record data abstraction. Exposures of miscarriage cases and low birth weight cases will be contrasted with exposures of controls through stratified analysis and logistic regression in order to identify any occupational influences on pregnancy outcome.
| Brett, K M; Strogatz, D S; Savitz, D A (1997) Employment, job strain, and preterm delivery among women in North Carolina. Am J Public Health 87:199-204 |
| Savitz, D A; Brett, K M; Baird, N J et al. (1996) Male and female employment in the textile industry in relation to miscarriage and preterm delivery. Am J Ind Med 30:307-16 |
| Savitz, D A; Andrews, K W; Pastore, L M (1995) Drinking water and pregnancy outcome in central North Carolina: source, amount, and trihalomethane levels. Environ Health Perspect 103:592-6 |
| Savitz, D A; Brett, K M; Evans, L E et al. (1994) Medically treated miscarriage in Alamance County, North Carolina, 1988-1991. Am J Epidemiol 139:1100-6 |
