Abstract
Objectives: This study explores several factors potentially associated with reduced fecundability among women working in cut flowers production. Methods: A cross-sectional study of first pregnancies was undertaken in 47 Colombian floriculture companies. Two thousand and eighty-five women were interviewed regarding potential reproductive, lifestyle and work history predictors of time-to-pregnancy (TTP), measured in months. Fecundability odds ratios (fOR) were estimated using a discrete time analogue of Cox’s proportional hazard model. Results: Associated with longer TTP were: irregular relationships with her partner (fOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73–0.91), illness in the year prior to pregnancy (fOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62–0.98), smoking tobacco (fOR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59–0.85), and work in flower production, less than 24 months (fOR 0.86 95% CI 0.75–0.98) or 2 years or more (fOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.63–0.84). Conclusions: Work in flower production, irregular relationship, illness and tobacco exposure would be associated with impaired fecundability.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to all flower production workers and farm managers who participated in the study, as well as to the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters (Asocolflores) for their collaboration. Thanks also to Selahadin Ibrahim for statistical advice and the Department of public health sciences, School of Medicine, University of Toronto for infrastructural support. This study was supported by the Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology “Francisco José de Caldas”—Colciencias (Contract No. 112-2000) and the Research Division (DIB) at Universidad Nacional de Colombia—Bogotá.
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Idrovo, A.J., Sanìn, L.H., Cole, D. et al. Time to first pregnancy among women working in agricultural production. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 78, 493–500 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0615-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-005-0615-9