Table 2 Hairdresser studies: The risk of fertility disorders and pregnancy complications among hairdressers

Kersemaekers 1995

[2]

Review

Medline,

1985-1993

Reproductive disorders due to chemical exposure

Hairdressers;

9 studies

Hair washing, hair bleaching, hair dyeing, permanent waving, hair styling, solvents

Inconsistent results of studies,

little evidence,

reproductive risks cannot be excluded

Kersemaekers 1997

[25]

Cohort study

Netherlands, 1986-88,

1991-93

Reproductive disorders

4,236 hairdressers,

2,932 clothing sales clerks

Work at least 10 hours/week during the first 2 months of pregnancy

1st period:

Spont. abortion OR 1.6 (#CI 1.0-2.4)

Time to pregnancy (TTP) > 12 months

OR 1.5 (CI 0.8-2.8)

Low birth weight (LBW)

OR 1.5 (CI 0.7-3.1)

2nd period:

Abortion OR 0.9 (0.7-1.1)

Kersemaekers 1997

[26]

Cohort study

Netherlands, 1986-88,

1991-93

Neurodevelopment in offspring

4,236 hairdressers,

2,932 clothing sales clerks

Work at least 10 hours/week during the first 2 months of pregnancy

1st period:

1st word RR 2.4 (CI 1.1-5.1)

1st sentence RR 4,1 (CI 1.2-13.6)

Seizures during fever RR 2.6 (CI 1.0-6.9)

2nd period:

Decreased risks of seizures,

no delayed child development

Rylander 2002

[27]

Cohort study

Sweden,

1973-94

Reproductive outcome

3,706 hairdressers,

3,462 reference population

Working time/week,

treatments/week for permanent waving, hair dyeing, bleaching, shampooing, spraying

Small for gestational age (SGA)

OR 1.4 (CI 1.1-1.7)

Malformation OR 1.3 (CI 1.1-1.6)

LBW OR 1.2 (CI 1.0-1.5)

Preterm birth OR 1.1 (CI 0.9-1.3)

Zhu 2006

[28]

Cohort study

Denmark,

1997-2003

Pregnancy outcomes and developmental milestones children

550 hairdressers, 3,216 shop assistants

Working time/week,

work postures

SGA OR 1.0*(CI 0.7-1.3)

Preterm birth OR 1,0*(CI 0.7-1.6)

Malformation OR 0.8*(CI 0.6-1.2)

Fetal loss (spont. abortions + stillbirths) OR 0.7*(0.3-1.8)

no differences in child development

Blatter 1993

[23]

Cross-sectional study

Netherlands, 1990

Menstrual disorders due to chemical exposure

64 hairdressers,

130 clothing shop assistants

Irregular cycle OR 2.4 (CI 1.1-5.2)

Oligomenorrhoea OR 3.0 (CI 1.1-8.4)

Unusual cycle length OR 3.4 (CI 1.5-7.8)

Long blood loss OR 5.1 (CI 1.7-15.4)

Severe pain OR 2.6 (CI 1.2-5.9)

Gan 2003

[29]

Cross-sectional study

China

Health effects due to exposure with permanent waving solution

57 hairdressers,

64 schoolteachers

Permanent waving procedure > 1 year

Menstrual disorders (menoxenia) Hairdressers 22.81% vs. reference 9.38% (p < 0.05)

Ronda 2009

[30]

Cross-sectional study

Spain,

2006

Menstrual disorders and subfertility

310 hairdressers,

310 shop assistants + office workers

No. of years in occupation,

daily working hours previous year

Subfertility

OR 2.17*(CI 0.91-5.17)

Menstrual disorders

OR 1.87*(CI 0.99-3.91)

Ronda 2010

[31]

Cross-sectional study

Spain,

2006

Pregnancy outcomes

310 hairdressers,

310 shop assistants + office workers

Job tasks, application of chemical products, ventilation

Spontaneous abortion

OR 1.6*(0.9-2.7)

Preterm birth OR 1.0*(0.4-2.9)

LBW OR 0.2*(0.3-2.0)

Axmon 2006

[32]

Cross-sectional study

Sweden,

2000

Fertility/

time to pregnancy for wanted pregnancy and miscarriage risk

1,678 hairdressers,

1,578 referents population

Exposure before and during pregnancy, job tasks, ventilation

Fertility

Fertility ratio (FR) 0.91 (CI 0.83-0.99)

Spontaneous abortion

OR 1.12 (CI 0.88-1.42)

Baste 2008

[33]

Cross-sectional study

Norway,

1997-99

Infertility, spontaneous abortion and smoking habits

136 hairdressers,

593 shop assistants/

6,734 other occupations

Income for at least 100 hours in occupation last year

Infertility RR 1.3*(CI 1.08-1.55)

Abortion RR 1.31*(CI 1.07-1.6)

Hairdressers, never smoker:

Infertility RR 2.01 (CI 1.45-2.8)

Abortion RR 2.0 (CI 1.48-2.72)

Gallicchio 2009

[34]

Cross-sectional study

USA,

2005-08

Premature ovarian failure (POF)

443 hairdressers,

508 controls

Work history, employment status

POF RR 1.9*(CI 0.76-4.72)

Caucasian women

POF RR 3.24*(CI 1.06-9.91)

Rylander 2005

[35]

Register-based study

Sweden,

1983-2001

Reproductive outcome

8,384 hairdressers,

reference: all deliveries 1983-2001 for working mothers

Working time during pregnancy (full-time/part-time)

SGA OR 1.19*(CI 1.07-1.33)

LBW OR 1.10*(CI 0.99-1.21)

Preterm birth OR 1.05*(CI 0.96-1.14)

Hougaard 2006

[36]

Register-based study

Denmark,

1998-2002

Risk of infertility

68 hairdressers, reference: all working women (20-44 years) + shop assistants

Economically active in registration

Infertility

Relative risk (RR) 1.01 (CI 0.77-1.29) compared to shop assistants,

RR 0.93 (CI 0.72-1.18) compared to all working women

Axmon 2009

[37]

Register-based study

Sweden,

1996

Comparison of birth weight and foetal growth

3,137 hairdressers and their sisters (3,952)

Graduates of vocational schools for hairdressers

Large for gestational age (LGA)

OR 0.60*(CI 0.39-0.92),

LBW OR 0.72*(CI 0.5-1.03),

SGA OR 0.85*(CI 0.54-1.34)

Halliday-Bell 2009

[38]

Register-based study

Finland,

1990-2004

Adverse pregnancy outcome

10,622 hairdressers, 2,490 beauticians,

18,594 teachers

Working as a hairdresser

Hairdressers compared to teachers

LBW OR 1.44*(CI 1.23-1.69)

Preterm birth OR 1.21*(CI 1.07-1.38)

SGA OR 1.65*(CI 1.38-2.07)

Perinatal death OR 1.62*(CI 1.01-1.60)