Preterm birth and prenatal maternal occupation: the role of Hispanic ethnicity and nativity in a population-based sample in Los Angeles, California.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated preterm birth (PTB) in relation to maternal occupational exposure and whether effect measures were modified by Hispanic ethnicity and nativity in a population-based sample with high proportion of Hispanics.

METHODS

We used a case-control study (n = 2543) nested within a cohort of 58,316 births in Los Angeles County, California, in 2003. We categorized prenatal occupations using the US Census Occupation Codes and Classification System and developed a job exposure matrix. Odds ratios for PTB were estimated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Odds ratios for PTB were increased for all women in health care practitioner and technical occupations, but the 95% confidence intervals included the null value; effects were more pronounced among Hispanics. We estimated elevated odds ratios for foreign-born Hispanic women in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations. Shift work and physically demanding work affected births among US-born but not foreign-born Hispanics.

CONCLUSIONS

Hispanic women are at particular risk for PTB related to adverse prenatal occupational exposure. Nativity may moderate these effects on PTB. Maternal occupational exposures likely contribute to ethnic disparities in PTB.