Abstract
In 1967 Vaisman (USSR) published the results of a small study of female anesthetists: of 31 pregnancies, 18 ended in abortion. The author suggested that the working conditions (e. g., long and irregular working hours, mental stressors, abnormal climatic conditions) might be the cause of this unexpectedly high incidence of abortions. This study was followed by many epidemiological studies of operating room (OR) personnel, and by animal experiments, with emphasis upon effects on reproduction in long-term exposure to anesthetic gases. Some studies provided suggestive evidence of an increased risk for renal disease and cancer. Wives of male anesthetists have also been reported to carry an increased risk of abortion and congenital malformation; in this chapter, however, only risks to female OR workers are reviewed.
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© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Zielhuis, R.L., Stijkel, A., Verberk, M.M., van de Poel-Bot, M. (1984). Operating Room Personnel. In: Health Risks to Female Workers in Occupational Exposure to Chemical Agents. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Supplement. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69850-7_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69850-7_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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