(1) The study was supported by the grants No T-020875/1996
OTKA and No T-244/1996 of the Ministry of Welfare of Hungary.
Abstract:
Abstract: On the basis of a questionnaire study it was concluded that
the frequency of “spontaneous” abortions and mestruation disorders was
higher among ETO-exposed women (nurses, physicians, operating room assistants,
technicians) than in the controls. Lack of work hygienic conditions of
gas sterilization as well as the higher than the limit value concentration
of ETO in the workplace air seriously endanger both the viability of the
fetus, and maternal health, and increase the risk of reproduction toxicity.
Furthermore, it was found that since 1983, the majority of the health institutions
had taken measures for the protection of the health of those exposed to
ETO with respect to the genotoxic, carcinogenic and offspring damaging
effect. In 295 of the institutions formalin chamber sterilization was introduced,
and most of them ensured acceptable work hygienic conditions for ETO-sterilization,
too, by means of organizational and/or technical ameliorations.
| Received: 23 November 1998
Accepted: 03 December 1998 Posted: 18 November 1998 |
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