Paternal Organic Solvent Exposure and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis

Background Organic solvents are widely used, but conflicting reports exist concerning paternal exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the risks of spontaneous abortions (SAs) and major malformations (MMs) after paternal exposure to organic solvents. Methods Medline, Toxline, Reprotox, and Embase from 1966 to 2003 were searched. Two independent reviewers searched for cohort and case-control studies in any language on adult human males exposed chronically to any organic solvent. Two non-blinded independent extractors used a standardized form fordata extraction; disagreements were resolved through consensus discussion. Results Forty-sevenstudieswereidentified;32exclusionsleft14useablestudies.Overall random effects odds ratios and95% confidenceintervals (CI95%) were 1.30 (CI95%: 0.81‐ 2.11, N ¼1,248) for SA, 1.47 (CI95%: 1.18‐1.83, N ¼384,762) for MMs, 1.86 (CI95%: 1.40‐2.46,N ¼180,242)foranyneuraltubedefect,2.18(CI95%:1.52‐3.11,N ¼107,761) for anencephaly, and 1.59 (CI95%: 0.99‐2.56, N ¼96,517; power ¼56.3%) for spina bifida. Conclusions Paternal exposure to organic solvents is associated with an increased risk forneuraltubedefectsbutnotSAs. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:37–44, 2005. 2004Wiley-Liss,Inc.