The occupational hazards of formulating oral contraceptives--a survey of plant employees. 1978

J M Harrington, and G F Stein, and R O Rivera, and A V de Morales

In May 1976 an investigation of a factory in Puerto Rico which formulates oral contraceptives revealed that during the previous 12 months five of the company's twenty-five employees (20%), and twelve of the company's thirty female employees (40%) had experienced symptoms associated with hyperestrogenism. The affected males had gynecomastia and three of them also reported a history of decreased libido or impotence. The affected females each had had at least one episode of intermenstrual bleeding during the preceding 12 months. There was an estimated relative risk of 4.3 for intermenstrual bleeding in nonclerical female employees compared with matched controls who did not work at the plant. Elevated levels of plasma ethinyl estradiol were twice as frequent in the two highest-risk job categories compared with the rest of the factory population, but the difference in prevalence of elevated levels was not statistically significant (P = 0.08). Wide variations in mestranol concentration were noted in the environmental dust samples. Prompt consideration should be given to establishing health standards for persons occupationally exposed to estrogens in view of the possible long-term sequelae of such exposure.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008599 Menstruation Disturbances Variations of MENSTRUATION which may be indicative of disease. Hypomenorrhea,Menstruation Disorders,Menstruation, Retrograde,Polymenorrhea,Irregular Menses,Irregular Menstruation,Menstrual Irregularities,Menstrual Irregularity,Disorder, Menstruation,Disorders, Menstruation,Disturbance, Menstruation,Disturbances, Menstruation,Irregularity, Menstrual,Menses, Irregular,Menstruation Disorder,Menstruation Disturbance,Menstruation, Irregular,Retrograde Menstruation
D009784 Occupational Diseases Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment. Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D003276 Contraceptives, Oral Compounds, usually hormonal, taken orally in order to block ovulation and prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The hormones are generally estrogen or progesterone or both. Low-Dose Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptives, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Phasic,Contraceptive, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptive, Oral,Contraceptives, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptives, Phasic Oral,Low Dose Oral Contraceptive,Low-Dose Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptive, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Low Dose,Phasic Oral Contraceptives
D004345 Drug Industry That segment of commercial enterprise devoted to the design, development, and manufacture of chemical products for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, disability, or other dysfunction, or to improve function. Industries, Pharmaceutic,Industry, Drug,Industry, Pharmaceutic,Industry, Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutical Industry,Drug Industries,Industries, Drug,Industries, Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutic Industries,Pharmaceutic Industry,Pharmaceutical Industries
D004967 Estrogens Compounds that interact with ESTROGEN RECEPTORS in target tissues to bring about the effects similar to those of ESTRADIOL. Estrogens stimulate the female reproductive organs, and the development of secondary female SEX CHARACTERISTICS. Estrogenic chemicals include natural, synthetic, steroidal, or non-steroidal compounds. Estrogen,Estrogen Effect,Estrogen Effects,Estrogen Receptor Agonists,Estrogenic Agents,Estrogenic Compounds,Estrogenic Effect,Estrogenic Effects,Agents, Estrogenic,Agonists, Estrogen Receptor,Compounds, Estrogenic,Effects, Estrogen,Effects, Estrogenic,Receptor Agonists, Estrogen
D004997 Ethinyl Estradiol A semisynthetic alkylated ESTRADIOL with a 17-alpha-ethinyl substitution. It has high estrogenic potency when administered orally, and is often used as the estrogenic component in ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES. 19-Norpregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3,17-diol, (17alpha)-,Ethynyl Estradiol,Estinyl,Ethinyl Estradiol Hemihydrate,Ethinyl Estradiol, (8 alpha)-Isomer,Ethinyl Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 alpha)-Isomer,Ethinyl Estradiol, (8 alpha,9 beta,13 alpha,14 beta)-Isomer,Ethinyl Estradiol, (9 beta,17 alpha)-Isomer,Ethinyl-Oestradiol Effik,Ethinylestradiol Jenapharm,Ethinyloestradiol,Lynoral,Microfollin,Microfollin Forte,Progynon C,Estradiol, Ethinyl,Estradiol, Ethynyl,Ethinyl Oestradiol Effik,Hemihydrate, Ethinyl Estradiol,Jenapharm, Ethinylestradiol
D005260 Female Females
D006177 Gynecomastia Enlargement of the BREAST in the males, caused by an excess of ESTROGENS. Physiological gynecomastia is normally observed in NEWBORNS; ADOLESCENT; and AGING males. Adolescent Gynecomastia,Infant Gynecomastia,Male Breast Enlargement,Newborn Gynecomastia,Breast Enlargement, Male,Enlargement, Male Breast,Gynecomastia, Adolescent,Gynecomastia, Infant,Gynecomastia, Newborn
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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