Occupational noise exposure and maternal pregnancy complications: register-based cohort from urban areas in four Nordic countries

ObjectiveTo assess the role of occupational noise exposure on pregnancy complications in urban Nordic populations.MethodsA study population covering five metropolitan areas in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden was generated using national birth registries linked with occupational and residential e...

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Published in:Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) Vol. 81; no. 12; pp. 603 - 609
Main Authors: Pasanen, Tytti P, Tiittanen, Pekka, Roswall, Nina, Persson Waye, Kerstin, Selander, Jenny, Sanchez Martinez, Nestor, Sjöström, Mattias, Vincens, Natalia, Ögren, Mikael, Aasvang, Gunn Marit, Evandt, Jorunn, Krog, Norun Hjertager, Weyde, Kjell Vegard, Khan, Jibran, Gissler, Mika, Lindstrøm, Jonas Christoffer, Poulsen, Aslak Harbo, Pershagen, Göran, Sorensen, Mette, Lanki, Timo
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2025
BMJ Publishing Group LTD
Subjects:
Adult
Air pollution
Births
Cohort Studies
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, Gestational - epidemiology
Diabetes, Gestational - etiology
Environmental factors
Exposure
Female
Female employees
Finland - epidemiology
Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa och socialmedicin
Gestational diabetes
Health risk assessment
Hearing protection
Humans
Hypertension
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - epidemiology
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - etiology
Marital status
Metropolitan areas
Neighborhoods
Nitrogen dioxide
Noise
Noise levels
Noise, Occupational - adverse effects
Norway - epidemiology
Occupational exposure
Occupational Exposure - adverse effects
Occupational Health
Occupations
Population studies
Pre-eclampsia
Pre-Eclampsia - epidemiology
Pre-Eclampsia - etiology
Preeclampsia
Pregnancy
Pregnancy complications
Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology
Pregnancy Complications - etiology
Pregnancy Outcome
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Registries
Regression analysis
Regression models
Residential areas
Retrospective Studies
Scandinavian and Nordic Countries - epidemiology
Sociodemographics
Sweden - epidemiology
Urban areas
Urban Population - statistics & numerical data
Urban populations
Women
Womens health
Workplace
Young Adult
Sweden
Norway
Scandinavian and Nordic Countries
Finland
Denmark
Women
Retrospective Studies
Noise
Occupational Health
Pregnancy Outcome
ISSN:1351-0711, 1470-7926, 1470-7926
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Summary:ObjectiveTo assess the role of occupational noise exposure on pregnancy complications in urban Nordic populations.MethodsA study population covering five metropolitan areas in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden was generated using national birth registries linked with occupational and residential environmental exposures and sociodemographic variables. The data covered all pregnancies during 5–11 year periods in 2004‒2016, resulting in 373 184 pregnancies. Occupational noise exposure was based on a Swedish-developed job-exposure-matrix, containing measured A-weighted annual 8 hour noise levels (LAeq8h), and linked with person-specific job-history. Outcomes included diagnosed gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, mild pre-eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia. The data were analysed with logistic regression models separately in each country, adjusting for maternal (age, parity, birth year, education and marital status) and residential environmental factors (low neighbourhood income, NO2 and green and blue space). The results were combined by meta-analysis.ResultsOccupational noise exceeding 80 dB, compared with less than 70 dB, was associated with an increased odds of gestational diabetes in all countries, with a combined OR of 1.26 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.51), and mild pre-eclampsia in all countries except Finland, resulting in a combined OR of 1.22 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.51). Further adjustment by maternal body-mass index attenuated these associations. No association with gestational hypertension or severe pre-eclampsia was found.ConclusionsRegister data from four nationalities show that gestational diabetes and, tentatively, mild pre-eclampsia was increased among pregnant workers working in occupations where noise levels exceed 80 dB LAeq8h but not in occupations with lower noise levels.
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ISSN:1351-0711
1470-7926
1470-7926
DOI:10.1136/oemed-2024-109724