Associação entre exposição a fatores ambientais e gestação de alto risco na Serra Gaúcha

Abstract

High-risk pregnancy is a threat to the life or health of the woman and the fetus by a coincidental or exclusive disorder of the pregnancy. In addition to genetic factors, several environmental risks are relevant in pregnancy, such as infections, radiation, chemicals, therapeutic and illicit drugs, industrial pollutants, cigarette smoke, among others. In this study we assessed the most frequent environmental exposures associated with high-risk pregnancy, comparing its prevalence with a group of low-risk pregnant women. A prospective case-control study of incidental cases was carried out, evaluating two groups of pregnant women, using an interview framework focused on environmental aspects, based on a document proposed by the World Health Organization. A total of 122 pregnant women aged 18 to 40 years were allocated into two groups: a group of high-risk (group 1) assisted in a reference center (Hospital Geral de Caxias do Sul/RS) and low-risk (group 2) group of pregnant women assisted in 3 Basic health Units of the same city, from December 2019 to March 2021. We evaluated anthropometric and demographic characteristics, comorbidities, environmental exposures in the houses and workplaces, as well as other social factors. High-risk pregnant women showed greater contact with household repellents and poisons, greater contact with home renovation and/or painting, and greater contact with the vegetable garden and/or orchard, potentially reflecting greater contact with pesticides. In general, there is a high prevalence of environmental risks to which pregnant women are generally exposed. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]