[Social-occupational risk factors for fetal growth retardation and preterm birth. I. Role of occupational and non-occupational work].

Clinical and control examinations were performed in order to assess the effect of certain demographic, social and occupational factors on a relative risk for fetus hypotrophia and preterm birth. Two groups of cases were distinguished: mothers of hypotrophic children (72 women) and mothers of eutrophic premature babies (41 women). The control group was composed of women who had given birth to eutrophic babies (438 persons). An analysis of individual variables indicated the following risk factors for preterm birth: mother's age over 35 years, unmarried status of mothers, a low level of education; while unmarried status increased the risk for fetus hypotrophia. Only a half of women under study worked when pregnant, and no relationship between working during pregnancy and increased risk for the pathologies discussed, were found. An aggravated risk for preterm birth in women overloaded with housekeeping duties was noted. This observation applied, in particular, to women who had not been working occupationally during pregnancy. Bearing in mind a multifactorial etiology of fetus hypotrophia and preterm birth, in the authors' opinion it would be useful to analyse an unrelated effect of individual risk factors with concomitant control of confounding factors.