High prevalence of abortion among crew members and clinical/sociodemographic correlations

Abstract

For flight attendants who flew before smoking bans began in the 1990s, there are many occupational health risks associated with long-term air travel, including exposure to cosmic radiation, circadian rhythm disturbances, and exposure to prior and secondhand smoke. Previous studies of crew members have shown an increased incidence of breast cancer and melanoma. However, little information is available on the relationship between air travel and the reproductive health of flight attendants. Secondhand smoke exposure has many negative health effects, such as increased heart disease and respiratory infections, but its effects on reproductive health are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exposure to secondhand smoke in flight attendants before smoking ban on the rate of miscarriage.