Exposures to non-therapeutic chemicals before, during and after pregnancy: data from the Swiss Teratogen Information Service (STIS).

Srikantha, Piranavie; Winterfeld, Ursula; Girardin, Francois; Panchaud, Alice; Ochsenbein-Kölble, Nicole; Simões-Wüst, Ana Paula (2024). Exposures to non-therapeutic chemicals before, during and after pregnancy: data from the Swiss Teratogen Information Service (STIS). Swiss medical weekly, 154(3751) EMH Schweizerischer Ärzteverlag 10.57187/s.3751

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AIMS OF THE STUDY

Limited knowledge exists regarding exposures to non-therapeutic chemicals by women planning to conceive, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The Swiss Teratogen Information Service (STIS) provides information to healthcare professionals about medications and other exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding. This study aimed to describe the queries on non-therapeutic chemicals addressed to the STIS over the past two decades.

METHODS

Using data from the STIS for the years 2000 to 2019, we conducted a descriptive analysis of all queries related to women's exposures to non-therapeutic chemicals during pregnancy planning, pregnancy or breastfeeding.

RESULTS

Over two decades, the STIS database recorded 320 exposures to chemicals. Workplace settings accounted for over 60% of queries, followed by exposures at home (20%). In almost half (48%) of the queries, more than one chemical was mentioned, totalling 885 chemicals across these 320 queries. Commonly mentioned chemicals included isopropanol, acetone and lead. Solvents were the leading category of products (16%), followed by cleaning products (10%), paints (8%) and insecticides (5%). The follow-up data showed five diverse cases of congenital malformations, accounting for 4.0% (5 out of 125) of the sample, a figure in line with the background risk of malformations in the general population.

CONCLUSIONS

This study emphasises the importance of conducting research that comprehensively captures the highly heterogeneous exposures to non-therapeutic chemicals during pregnancy and suggests that attention should be given not only to professional settings, but also to domestic contexts.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Medical Education > Institute of General Practice and Primary Care (BIHAM)
UniBE Contributor:	Panchaud Monnat, Alice Elke Martine
Subjects:	600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health 300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 360 Social problems & social services
ISSN:	1424-7860
Publisher:	EMH Schweizerischer Ärzteverlag
Language:	English
Submitter:	Pubmed Import
Date Deposited:	14 Aug 2024 11:49
Last Modified:	14 Aug 2024 11:49
Publisher DOI:	10.57187/s.3751
PubMed ID:	39137375
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/199676