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. 2023 Sep;14(3):272-278.
doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.08.002. Epub 2023 Aug 6.

Women's Employment in Industries and Risk of Preeclampsia and Gestational Diabetes: A National Population Study of Republic of Korea

Jeong-Won Oh  1 , Seyoung Kim  2 , Jung-Won Yoon  3 , Taemi Kim  4 , Myoung-Hee Kim  5 , Jia Ryu  6 , Seung-Ah Choe  4   7
Affiliations

Women's Employment in Industries and Risk of Preeclampsia and Gestational Diabetes: A National Population Study of Republic of Korea

Jeong-Won Oh et al. Saf Health Work. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Some working conditions may pose a higher physical or psychological demand to pregnant women leading to increased risks of pregnancy complications.

Objectives: We assessed the association of woman's employment status and the industrial classification with obstetric complications.

Methods: We conducted a national population study using the National Health Information Service database of Republic of Korea. Our analysis encompassed 1,316,310 women who experienced first-order live births in 2010-2019. We collected data on the employment status and the industrial classification of women, as well as their diagnoses of preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) classified as A1 (well controlled by diet) or A2 (requiring medication). We calculated odds ratios (aORs) of complications per employment, and each industrial classification was adjusted for individual risk factors.

Results: Most (64.7%) were in employment during pregnancy. Manufacturing (16.4%) and the health and social (16.2%) work represented the most prevalent industries. The health and social work exhibited a higher risk of PE (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.21), while the manufacturing industry demonstrated a higher risk of class A2 GDM (1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41) than financial intermediation. When analyzing both classes of GDM, women who worked in public administration and defense/social security showed higher risk of class A1 GDM (1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). When comparing high-risk industries with nonemployment, the health and social work showed a comparable risk of PE (1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.07).

Conclusion: Employment was associated with overall lower risks of obstetric complications. Health and social service work can counteract the healthy worker effect in relation to PE. This highlights the importance of further elucidating specific occupational risk factors within the high-risk industries.

Keywords: Employment; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Industry; Preeclampsia.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Selection flow of the study population.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of preeclampsia and class A2 gestational diabetes mellitus based on employment status and employment in health/social work and manufacturing industries. Risk estimates were adjusted for maternal age at birth, relative level of income (in deciles), living in the Seoul Capital Area, prepregnancy body mass index, past smoking, plurality, and year of childbirth. In the analysis of gestational diabetes mellitus, those with fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl who are supposed to have pre-existing diabetes were excluded.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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