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Risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes after occupational exposure to chemicals during pregnancy–A cohort study of births in Sweden 1994–2014

Gustavsson, Per ; Lissåker, Claudia ; Albin, Maria LU ; Alfredsson, Lars ; Wiebert, Pernilla ; Tinnerberg, Håkan LU ; Grahn, Karin ; Rylander, Lars LU orcid and Selander, Jenny (2025) In Environmental Research 279.
Abstract

Many women are occupationally active during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between exposure to chemicals during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. The cohort included singleton births in Sweden between 1994 and 2014. The cohort was limited to low-educated mothers to reduce potential confounding from unidentified life-style associated factors. Information on occupation (full-time employed) at beginning of pregnancy, demographic data, education, personal risk factors and medical diagnoses were obtained from national records. Occupational exposure to 20 chemicals/particles was assessed by a time-specific job exposure matrix (SweJEM). Relative risks (RR) were adjusted for birth... (More)

Many women are occupationally active during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between exposure to chemicals during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. The cohort included singleton births in Sweden between 1994 and 2014. The cohort was limited to low-educated mothers to reduce potential confounding from unidentified life-style associated factors. Information on occupation (full-time employed) at beginning of pregnancy, demographic data, education, personal risk factors and medical diagnoses were obtained from national records. Occupational exposure to 20 chemicals/particles was assessed by a time-specific job exposure matrix (SweJEM). Relative risks (RR) were adjusted for birth year of the child and mother's age, parity, country of birth, smoking, BMI, and occupational exposure to physical strain, low decision authority, noise, and whole-body vibrations. There were 307,985 births in the cohort. The risk of preeclampsia was elevated after exposure to diesel engine exhaust (RR 1.19; 95 % CI 1.03–1.37), gasoline engine exhaust (RR 1.26; 1.05–1.52) or to carbon monoxide (RR 1.21; 1.03–1.42). Exposure to lead was associated with an elevated risk of gestational diabetes, (RR 2.41; 1.05–5.55), based on six cases only, though. An elevated risk of preeclampsia in association with combustion products is corroborated by studies of traffic-related urban air pollution and of smoke from wildfires. Exposure to motor exhaust during pregnancy should be minimised. Exposure to lead during pregnancy should be avoided also because of serious neurodevelopmental effects for the child.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Chemical exposure, Occupational exposure, Pregnancy, Pregnancy complications
in
Environmental Research
volume
279
article number
121802
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105004643271
  • pmid:40345419
ISSN
0013-9351
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2025.121802
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b1e68771-add5-4dcf-9f4c-5bb4b89358b9
date added to LUP
2025-07-16 14:46:10
date last changed
2025-07-17 02:21:42
@article{b1e68771-add5-4dcf-9f4c-5bb4b89358b9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Many women are occupationally active during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between exposure to chemicals during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. The cohort included singleton births in Sweden between 1994 and 2014. The cohort was limited to low-educated mothers to reduce potential confounding from unidentified life-style associated factors. Information on occupation (full-time employed) at beginning of pregnancy, demographic data, education, personal risk factors and medical diagnoses were obtained from national records. Occupational exposure to 20 chemicals/particles was assessed by a time-specific job exposure matrix (SweJEM). Relative risks (RR) were adjusted for birth year of the child and mother's age, parity, country of birth, smoking, BMI, and occupational exposure to physical strain, low decision authority, noise, and whole-body vibrations. There were 307,985 births in the cohort. The risk of preeclampsia was elevated after exposure to diesel engine exhaust (RR 1.19; 95 % CI 1.03–1.37), gasoline engine exhaust (RR 1.26; 1.05–1.52) or to carbon monoxide (RR 1.21; 1.03–1.42). Exposure to lead was associated with an elevated risk of gestational diabetes, (RR 2.41; 1.05–5.55), based on six cases only, though. An elevated risk of preeclampsia in association with combustion products is corroborated by studies of traffic-related urban air pollution and of smoke from wildfires. Exposure to motor exhaust during pregnancy should be minimised. Exposure to lead during pregnancy should be avoided also because of serious neurodevelopmental effects for the child.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gustavsson, Per and Lissåker, Claudia and Albin, Maria and Alfredsson, Lars and Wiebert, Pernilla and Tinnerberg, Håkan and Grahn, Karin and Rylander, Lars and Selander, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{0013-9351}},
  keywords     = {{Chemical exposure; Occupational exposure; Pregnancy; Pregnancy complications}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Risk of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes after occupational exposure to chemicals during pregnancy–A cohort study of births in Sweden 1994–2014}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.121802}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2025.121802}},
  volume       = {{279}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}