Background Few studies have examined the possible effects of reproductive factors on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks in Asian women. Methods A cohort of 267 400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China, was administered a questionnaire at enrolment (1989–91) and followed for mortality through 2000. Relative risks (hazard ratios) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modelling, adjusting for relevant co-variates. Results Risks were not consistently associated with age at menopause, parity, stillbirths, miscarriages or duration of lactation. An increasing trend in IHD mortality risk, but not stroke, was observed with decreasing age at menarche. There was no evidence of increased CVD mortality risk by oral or injectable contraceptive use or induced abortions. As expected, greater mortality rates from CVD and increased CVD risks were also observed with smoking. Conclusions Use of steroid contraceptives, induced abortions and reduced parity from China's one-child-per-family policy has not had an adverse effect on risk of CVD mortality in this cohort.

Prior animal and human studies of prenatal exposure to solvents including tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown increases in the risk of certain congenital anomalies among exposed offspring.

Many studies of adults with acute and chronic solvent exposure have shown adverse effects on cognition, behavior and mood. No prior study has investigated the long-term impact of prenatal and early childhood exposure to the solvent tetrachloroethylene (PCE) on the affinity for risky behaviors, defined as smoking, drinking or drug use as a teen or adult.

Background: Prior studies of prenatal exposure to tetrachloroethylene (PCE) have shown mixed results regarding its effect on birth weight and gestational age. Objectives: In this retrospective cohort study we examined whether PCE contamination of public drinking-water supplies in Massachusetts influenced the birth weight and gestational duration of children whose mothers were exposed before the child’s delivery. Methods: The study included 1,353 children whose mothers were exposed to PCE-contaminated drinking water and a comparable group of 772 children of unexposed mothers. Birth records were used to identify subjects and provide information on the outcomes. Mothers completed a questionnaire to gather information on residential histories and confounding variables. PCE exposure was estimated using EPANET water distribution system modeling software that incorporated a fate and transport model. Results: We found no meaningful associations between PCE exposure and birth weight or gestational duration. Compared with children whose mothers were unexposed during the year of the last menstrual period (LMP), adjusted mean differences in birth weight were 20.9, 6.2, 30.1, and 15.2 g for children whose mothers’ average monthly exposure during the LMP year ranged from the lowest to highest quartile. Similarly, compared with unexposed children, adjusted mean differences in gestational age were −0.2, 0.1, −0.1, and −0.2 weeks for children whose mothers’ average monthly exposure ranged from the lowest to highest quartile. Similar results were observed for two other measures of prenatal exposure. Conclusions: These results suggest that prenatal PCE exposure does not have an adverse effect on these birth outcomes at the exposure levels experienced by this population.