Maternal occupation during pregnancy, birth weight, and length of gestation: Combined analysis of 13 European birth cohorts

Objectives We assessed whether maternal employment during pregnancy – overall and in selected occupational sectors – is associated with birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA), term low birth weight (LBW), length of gestation, and preterm delivery in a population-based birth cohort design. Methods We used data from >200 000 mother-child pairs enrolled in 13 European birth cohorts and compared employed versus non-employed women. Among employees, we defined groups of occupations representing the main sectors of employment for women where potential reproductive hazards are considered to be present. The comparison group comprised all other employed women not included in the occupational sector being assessed. We performed meta-analyses of cohort-specific estimates and explored heterogeneity. Results Employees had a lower risk of preterm delivery than non-employees [adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.81–0.91]. Working in most of the occupational sectors studied was not associated with adverse birth outcomes. Being employed as a nurse was associated with lower risk SGA infants (ORadj 0.91, 95% CI 0.84–0.99) whereas food industry workers had an increased risk of preterm delivery (ORadj 1.50, 95% CI 1.12–2.02). There was little evidence for heterogeneity between cohorts. Conclusions This study suggests that, overall, employment during pregnancy is associated with a reduction in the risk of preterm birth and that work in certain occupations may affect pregnancy outcomes. This exploratory study provides an important platform on which to base further prospective studies focused on the potential consequences of maternal occupational exposures during pregnancy on child development

Association study between polymorphisms in DNA methylation-related genes and testicular germ cell tumor risk

none47Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs), histologically classified as seminomas and non-seminomas, are believed to arise from primordial gonocytes, with the maturation process blocked when are subjected to DNA methylation reprogramming. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA methylation machinery and folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism genes have been postulated to influence the proper establishment of DNA methylation.Grasso, Chiara; Popovic, Maja; Isaevska, Elena; Lazzarato, Fulvio; Fiano, Valentina; Zugna, Daniela; Pluta, John; Weathers, Benita; D'Andrea, Kurt; Almstrup, Kristian; Anson-Cartwright, Lynn; Bishop, D Timothy; Chanock, Stephen J; Chen, Chu; Cortessis, Victoria K; Dalgaard, Marlene D; Daneshmand, Siamak; Ferlin, Alberto; Foresta, Carlo; Frone, Megan N; Gamulin, Marija; Gietema, Jourik A; Greene, Mark H; Grotmol, Tom; Hamilton, Robert J; Haugen, Trine B; Hauser, Russ; Karlsson, Robert; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Lessel, Davor; Lista, Patrizia; Lothe, Ragnhild A; Loveday, Chey; Meijer, Coby; Nead, Kevin T; Nsengimana, Jérémie; Skotheim, Rolf I; Turnbull, Clare; Vaughn, David J; Wiklund, Fredrik; Zheng, Tongzhang; Zitella, Andrea; Schwartz, Stephen M; McGlynn, Katherine A; Kanetsky, Peter A; Nathanson, Katherine L; Richiardi, LorenzoGrasso, Chiara; Popovic, Maja; Isaevska, Elena; Lazzarato, Fulvio; Fiano, Valentina; Zugna, Daniela; Pluta, John; Weathers, Benita; D'Andrea, Kurt; Almstrup, Kristian; Anson-Cartwright, Lynn; Bishop, D Timothy; Chanock, Stephen J; Chen, Chu; Cortessis, Victoria K; Dalgaard, Marlene D; Daneshmand, Siamak; Ferlin, Alberto; Foresta, Carlo; Frone, Megan N; Gamulin, Marija; Gietema, Jourik A; Greene, Mark H; Grotmol, Tom; Hamilton, Robert J; Haugen, Trine B; Hauser, Russ; Karlsson, Robert; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Lessel, Davor; Lista, Patrizia; Lothe, Ragnhild A; Loveday, Chey; Meijer, Coby; Nead, Kevin T; Nsengimana, Jérémie; Skotheim, Rolf I; Turnbull, Clare; Vaughn, David J; Wiklund, Fredrik; Zheng, Tongzhang; Zitella, Andrea; Schwartz, Stephen M; Mcglynn, Katherine A; Kanetsky, Peter A; Nathanson, Katherine L; Richiardi, Lorenz