Problem: The process of industrialization and lifestyle changes have gradually exposed human societies to a larger number of environmental risk factors, which may cause hormonal abnormalities and congenital anomalies.
Background: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between environmental factors and hormonal abnormalities among pregnant women in Yazd, Iran.
Methods: A hundred participants were randomly selected from among a group of pregnant women. According to the screening tests (AFP, free β-HCG, uE3, PAPP-A, and inhibin-A) performed at the genome clinic in Yazd in 2016, the risk of Down Syndrome (DS) was sufficiently high in this group of pregnant women from which the participants were selected. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the degree of the participants' exposure to pesticides at home, use of canned and fast foods, and consumption of greenhouse fruits. The collected data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis Test.
Findings: The mean of Multiple of Median (MoM) for inhibin-A was significantly higher among pregnant women who often or always used pesticides at home (p=0.047). The mean MoM for free β-HCG was significantly higher among pregnant women who often or always used canned foods (p=0.024). Finally, the mean MoM for uE3 (1.85±1.30) was significantly higher among pregnant women who never consumed greenhouse fruits (p=0.003).
Conclusion: It can be concluded that it is possible to reduce environmental exposures affecting hormonal abnormalities among pregnant women by improving nutritional patterns, minimizing the use of pesticides at home, and reducing the intake of canned foods and greenhouse fruits.
Keywords: Congenital abnormalities; Environmental epidemiology; Environmental exposure; Hormones; Pregnant women.
Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.