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Matern Child Health J (2009) 13:9097 DOI 10.1007/s10995-008-0324-6
The Risk of Having a Low Birth Weight or Preterm Infant among Cosmetologists in New York State
Michele L. Herdt-Losavio Shao Lin Charlotte M. Druschel Syni-An Hwang Matthew P. Mauer G. Anders Carlson
Published online: 23 February 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract Objectives This study sought to determine if female licensed cosmetologists have a higher risk of low birth weight, small-for-gestational-age, and preterm delivery compared to two different comparison groups. Methods This retrospective cohort study matched 15,003 licensed cosmetologists and a comparison group of 4,246 licensed realtors to birth records in New York State from 1997 to 2003. A second comparison group from the general population of New York State (n = 12,171) was frequency matched to cosmetologists on childs year of birth, mothers ethnicity and mothers education. Results A positive association was found for low birth weight when comparing cosmetologists to realtors (adjusted odds ratio1.36 (95% condence interval: 1.09, 1.70)). Associations were stronger in non-whites than in whites in each birth weight comparison. Associations observed for small-forgestational-age or preterm births with either comparison group were close to the null or had wide condence intervals that included the null. Conclusions We observed a slightly increased risk for having a child born low birth weight among cosmetologists compared to another group of licensed professionals. The risk was greater among non-white races in each comparison.
Keywords Low birth weight Preterm birth
Small-for-gestational-age Cosmetologists
Occupational exposure
Introduction
Each year from 1997 to 2003 approximately 20,000 babies were born low birth weight (\2,500 g) and on average over 27,000 babies were born preterm (\37 weeks gestational age) in New York State (NYS) [1]. The rate of low birth weight births was stable over that period ranging between7.7% and 7.9% [1]. Furthermore, the rate of preterm birth ranged from 10.4% to 11.4% [1]. Low birth weight and preterm birth pose serious health risks for infants, including a variety of major illnesses, such as respiratory problems, blindness, deafness, mental retardation, and even death.
There are almost 110,000 licensed cosmetologists (mostly female) in NYS who are permitted to perform make-up application, waxing techniques, nail treatments and hair styling, including the use of bleaches, dyes, and permanent solutions. Cosmetologists face occupational exposures to...