PT Journal AU Schwartz, DA Newsum, LA Heifetz, RM TI Parental occupation and birth outcome in an agricultural community. SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 2VL PY 1986 BP 51 EP 54 IS 1 DI 10.5271/sjweh.2180 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=2180 DE agricultural community; agriculture; birth; birth outcome; occupation; parental occupation SN 0355-3140 AB

The general birth outcome and prevalence of specific birth defects was investigated within an agricultural community through the review of birth records in a major hospital in Imperial County, California. Of all singleton births (N = 2 463) occurring within a four-year period, 990 or 40.2% involved offspring with one or both parent(s) who were agricultural workers. The progeny of agricultural and nonagricultural workers were similar with regard to sex ratios, prevalence of low birth-weight infants, stillbirth rate, minor and major malformation rates, and prevalence of neonatal deaths. Limb reduction defects, however, occurred more frequently among offspring of agricultural workers (5.05 per 1 000 total births versus 2.19 per 1 000 total births, rate ratio = 2.3). Furthermore, the prevalence of limb reduction defects among agricultural workers was 3- to 14-fold higher than available United States rates (0.36-1.65 per 1 000 total births). Findings from our study suggest that agricultural communities and, in particular, agricultural workers may be at excess risk of producing a child with a limb reduction defect.

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