International Scholarly Research Notices

Research Article

Risk Perceptions of Environmental Hazards and Human Reproduction: A Community-Based Survey

Table 1

Summary of review level evidence on associations between exposure and outcomes in pregnancy.
Potential hazardOutcome investigatedEvidence baseAssociation between exposure and outcome*
PesticidesChildhood cancerSystematic review1 [11]+
PesticidesReproductive effects: birth defects, fetal death, altered growth, and other outcomes.Systematic review [12]+
Residual pesticides, insecticides and herbicidesChildhood leukaemiaSystematic review [13]+
Pesticides (parental exposure to)Childhood leukaemiaSystematic review [14]+
Air pollutionFetal growthSystematic review [15]+
Air pollutionFetal growth
Respiratory deaths		Systematic review [16]±
Air pollutionFetal growth
Duration of pregnancy		Systematic review [17]±
Air pollutionFetal growth and duration of pregnancySystematic review [18]±
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)Child neurodevelopmentSystematic review [19]+
Electromagnetic fields (nonionizing radiation)Childhood leukaemiaSystematic review [20]±
Low level radio-frequencyBirth defects, fertility, neuroblastoma in offspring, & reproductive hormonesLiterature review [21]±
Parental smokingChildhood cancerSystematic review [22]+
Working in floriculture (exposed to, physical activity, temperatures & pesticides)Spontaneous abortion and birth defectsMeta-analysis of two studies [23]+
Nitrates in drinking waterSpontaneous abortions, intrauterine growth restriction, and various birth defectsLiterature review [24]±
Agent Orange (dioxin)Birth defectsSystematic review [25]+
Working in hairdressers—exposure to hair productsFertility and pregnancy complications
Birth malformations particularly orofacial cleft		Systematic review [26]±
Diagnostic X-raysChildhood cancerSystematic review [27]±
TritiumVariousSystematic review [28]±
Environmental oestrogensMale reproductive healthSystematic review [29]±
Lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury, cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes and antidepressants.Mental health in children and adolescentsSystematic review [30]+ for some exposure
± for others
1A systematic review uses systematic, reproducible, and transparent methods to identify, appraise, and synthesise studies.
*+association between exposure to hazard and outcome.
±conflicting or not enough evidence of an association between exposure to hazard and outcome.
−No association between exposure to hazard and outcome.