Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran
مجله پزشکی جمهوری اسلامی ایران
Med J Islam Repub Iran
Medical Sciences
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir
2
journal2
1016-1430
2251-6840
8
10.18869/mjiri
14
8888
13
en
jalali
1392
10
1
gregorian
2014
1
1
28
1
online
1
fulltext
en
Menstrual disturbances and hormonal changes in women workers exposed to a mixture of organic solvents in a pharmaceutical company
Occupational Medicine
Occupational Medicine
Original Research
Original Research
<p> <strong> Background: </strong>Chemicals are among risk factors that can affect women's reproductive system. This study is aimed to investigate the association of occupational exposure to a mixture of organic solvents with menstruation disturbances and hormonal changes among female workers. </p><p> <strong> Methods </strong>: Female workers of a pharmaceutical company were divided into three groups of non-exposed, low-exposed and highly-exposed to a mixture of organic solvents (formaldehyde, phenol, N-hexane, and chloroform) based on workplace measurements. Menstrual disturbances (in terms of short cycles, long cycles, irregular cycles, and bleeding or spotting between periods) and mean of hormone levels (including follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, estrogen and progesterone levels) were compared between these three groups. For investigating associations, logistic regression was performed. </p><p> <strong> Results </strong>: Our study showed that mean length of cycles, duration of bleeding, and amount of flow and also prevalence of long cycles, irregular cycles, and bleeding or spotting between periods were higher in exposed groups (p≤0.05). Odds ratio for prevalence of menstrual disturbances in the low exposure group and high exposure group were 9.69 (p=0.001) and 3.40 (p=0.002) respectively compared to the reference group. Estrogen and progesterone levels were not affected (p> 0.05), but other hormones levels were significantly disturbed in the exposed groups compared with the non-exposed group (p=0.001). </p><p> <strong> Conclusion </strong>: Occupational exposure to the mixture of organic solvents may be associated with the increase of menstrual disorders and hormonal changes in female workers. Based on our findings, periodic evaluation of reproductive system of female workers in pharmaceutical companies is recommended. </p>
Women, Occupational exposure, Solvents, Menstruation disturbances, Hormones.
1055
1064
http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-766&slc_lang=en&sid=1
Somayeh
Hassani
sh9612003@yahoo.com
200319475328460014529
200319475328460014529
No
Telemedicine Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis & Lung Diseases (NRITLD), ShahidBeheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohamad
Namvar
mnamvar@yahoo.com
200319475328460014530
200319475328460014530
No
Occupational Medicine Department, School of medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maryam
Ghoreishvandi
maryam_ghoreishvandi@yahoo.com
200319475328460014531
200319475328460014531
No
Islamic Azad University Pharmacology of Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mirsaeed
Attarchi
msattarchi@yahoo.com
200319475328460014532
200319475328460014532
No
Occupational Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Brain and Spinal cord injury research center (BASIR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Majid
Golabadi
golabadi_m@yahoo.com
200319475328460014533
200319475328460014533
No
Occupational Medicine Department, School of medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Mohammad
Seyedmehdi
mseyedmehdi@sbmu.ac.ir
200319475328460014534
200319475328460014534
Yes
Chronic Respiratory Diseases Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis & Lung Diseases (NRITLD), ShahidBeheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahshad
Khodarahmian
200319475328460014535
200319475328460014535
No
Occupational Medicine Department, School of medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.