Abstract

OLIVEIRA, Lenice Minussi et al. Reproductive outcomes in an area adjacent to a petrochemical plant in southern Brazil. Rev. Saúde Pública [online]. 2002, vol.36, n.1, pp. 81-87. ISSN 0034-8910.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89102002000100013.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate possible adverse reproductive outcomes in an area adjacent to a petrochemical plant in southern Brazil. METHODS: A review of 17,113 birth records of the main hospital of the municipality of Montenegro, southern Brazil, from 1983 to 1998 was carried out. Three groups of cases were selected: (1) newborns with major congenital malformations; (2) newborns with low birth weight (<2,500 g); and (3) stillborns (>500 g). A control was assigned to each case. Controls were the first newborns weighing ³2,500 g without malformations and of case-matching sex. Mother's residence during pregnancy was used as an exposure parameter. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square test or Fisher test, odds ratio, 0.05 significance level, and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: For unadjusted analysis, it was found a correlation between low birth weight and geographical proximity of mother's residence to the petrochemical plant (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.01¾2.72) or residence on the way of preferential wind direction (OR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.03¾2.56). When other covariates were added in the conditional logistic regression (maternal smoking habits, chronic disease and age), there was no association. CONCLUSIONS: Despite final results were negative, low birth weight could be a good parameter of environmental contamination and should be closely monitored in the studied area.

Keywords : Petroleum industry; Environmental exposure; Infant, newborn; Impacts on health; Risk Factors; Infant, low birth weight; Case-control studies.