Developmental evaluation of children born to mothers occupationally exposed to waste anesthetic gases

Abstract

Our study supports the hypothesis that occupational exposure to anesthetic gases might be a risk factor for minor neurological deficits of children born to mothers who work in OpRs and therefore indicates the need for more studies in this area and perhaps more caution among OpR pregnant women and employers.

Neurodevelopmental Toxicity Risks Due to Occupational Exposure to Industrial Chemicals during Pregnancy

“…For each article, the following information was abstracted: location, type of study, study period, population, child age, type of exposure, exposure measurements, covariates, outcome scales, and effects studied. Through this systematic search, a total of 15 papers 23,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] were identified that fit the above criteria (Table 1). Each of these studies is reviewed below.…”

“…They are lipophilic and are mostly known to be neurotoxic from acute poisoning cases and occupational studies in adults with chronic exposure 2) . Seven epidemiological studies have assessed the neurodevelopmental consequences in children of workers with solvent exposures during pregnancy (Table 1) 23,[25][26][27][28][29][30] .…”

“…Among the latter, most studies addressed organophosphate insecticides, while two population-based birth cohort studies examined the effects of DDT [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] . Studies on solvents often concerned mixed exposures 23,[25][26][27][28][29][30] . We were unable to identify any recent occupational studies relating prenatal exposures to mercury, lead, arsenic and PCBs to neurodevelopment outcomes as parallel to the substantial evidence from environmental epidemiology 2) .…”

“…We were unable to identify any recent occupational studies relating prenatal exposures to mercury, lead, arsenic and PCBs to neurodevelopment outcomes as parallel to the substantial evidence from environmental epidemiology 2) . The occupational studies identified show negative consequences of prenatal exposures to the industrial chemicals studied (Table 1) 23,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] .…”

Assessing Long-term Neurodevelopmental Outcome Following General Anesthesia in Early Childhood: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Anesthetic agents readily cross the placental barrier, which has previously permitted studies in children born to occupationally exposed mothers65 and children born by Cesarean under GA22,66,67. These studies may not demonstrate AIN because of the poorly defined, chronic low-dose occupational exposure or the relatively brief exposure at Cesarean delivery.…”