Lauria Laura, Ballard Terri J, Caldora Massimiliano, Mazzanti Clelia, Verdecchia Arduino
Instituto Superiore di Sanita', Rome, Italy.
Aviat Space Environ Med. 2006 May;77(5):533-9.
Occupational exposures in female aircrew may cause adverse pregnancy outcomes and menstrual disturbances. We studied reproductive health among female flight attendants.
We conducted a cross-sectional health survey among an occupational cohort of current and former flight attendants using a postal questionnaire including items on pregnancy outcome, menstrual characteristics, and infertility. We investigated these factors by occupational status (in service or not).
The questionnaire was sent to 3036 women with a response rate of 64% (74% for current and 48% for former flight attendants). Spontaneous abortion rates were similar for pregnancies of women in service and not (12.6 vs. 11.4%; p = 0.58). Induced abortion rates were lower for in-service pregnancies (7.9%) compared with pregnancies of women not in service (21.1%) (p < 0.001). Menstrual irregularities in the year preceding the survey for women under 40 yr were more frequent among current than former flight attendants (20.6% vs. 10.4%, p = 0.02). Fertility problems were reported by 20.6% of respondents. An association between infertility and irregular menstrual cycles was found: odds ratio 1.6; 95% confidence limits 1.1, 2.4.
Active flight attendants had a lower rate of induced abortions than former flight attendants, but the spontaneous abortion rate was similar between the two groups. Active flight attendants reported more menstrual irregularities, which are a risk factor for infertility. Lack of comparison with working women in other occupations precludes a conclusion that flight attendants are at greater occupational risk of reproductive disorders. Future studies of reproductive health in flight attendants should address personal and work-related risk factors in more detail and include comparison occupational groups.
女性空乘人员的职业暴露可能导致不良妊娠结局和月经紊乱。我们对女性乘务员的生殖健康进行了研究。
我们使用邮政问卷对在职和离职乘务员的职业队列进行了横断面健康调查，问卷内容包括妊娠结局、月经特征和不孕情况。我们按职业状态（在职与否）对这些因素进行了调查。
问卷发送给了3036名女性，回复率为64%（在职乘务员为74%，离职乘务员为48%）。在职和非在职女性怀孕后的自然流产率相似（12.6%对11.4%；p = 0.58）。在职女性怀孕后的人工流产率（7.9%）低于非在职女性怀孕后的人工流产率（21.1%）（p < 0.001）。40岁以下女性在调查前一年的月经不规律情况在职乘务员比离职乘务员更常见（20.6%对10.4%，p = 0.02）。20.6%的受访者报告有生育问题。发现不孕与月经周期不规律之间存在关联：比值比为1.6；95%置信区间为1.1、2.4。
在职乘务员的人工流产率低于离职乘务员，但两组的自然流产率相似。在职乘务员报告的月经不规律情况更多，而月经不规律是不孕的一个危险因素。由于缺乏与其他职业在职女性的比较，无法得出乘务员面临更大生殖疾病职业风险的结论。未来对乘务员生殖健康的研究应更详细地探讨个人和与工作相关的风险因素，并纳入对照职业群体。
