ABSTRACT
The chapter aims to focus on the more informative studies and to indicate useful approaches and directions for future research. Clinically recognized spontaneous abortions are the most commonly studied outcome in relation to occupational exposures in women. The most important methodologie issues in assessing occupational hazards to reproduction are: exposure assessment, choice of appropriate comparison group, participation bias and recall bias. The chapter summarizes the available literature on work-related exposures and reproductive function in women and men. Reproductive endpoints amenable to epidemiologic study of women workers include: menstrual cycle disorders, fecundability, fertility, length of time to achieve a pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, gestational age at birth, birth weight, congenital malformations and childhood cancer. Fecundability and fertility are measured by the success or failure of couples to conceive and to carry a pregnancy to term.
