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Are Video Display Terminals Associated with Miscarriages?

Last modified on: Thursday, January 17, 2002 15:23:24
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In an exchange of letters to the editors published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, scholars discussed whether an association exists between the use of video display terminals (VDTs) during pregnancy and increased risk of miscarriage. Researchers from Ergonomics Environments, Inc. criticized a study by scholars at the Institute of Occupational Health in Finland that suggested that women who used VDTs producing relatively strong extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields had increased risks for spontaneous abortions. The Ergonomics Environments writers criticized the study's findings because the control group consisted of women who used VDTs producing weak ELF magnetic fields. No evidence was given that anything had been done to control for potential confounders such as work conditions, structure, and task. The writers from Ergonomics Environments suggested that some factor other than ELF magnetic field exposure may be responsible for the excess risk of spontaneous abortion detected in the VDT users. The authors of the original study replied by stating that they had considered pregnancy history, diseases, personal habits, ergonomic factors, and mental and other known and suspected risk factors for spontaneous abortion. None could account for the results. They noted that the present evidence is not sufficient to allow a final conclusion to be reached regarding the effects of ELF magnetic fields on spontaneous abortion risk. [BENER 10015]


READER COMMENTS
September 13, 2001 - Crissi I just recently had a miscarriage. I feel that it is very possible that VDTs or computers have something to do with it. I spend a lot of time in front of the computer corresponding and doing my work every day. When I was younger, I worked at an insurance company as a transcriptionist. There were four of us who were able to bear children (the others were older ladies). Three of the ladies who became pregnant either miscarried or had complications. Two miscarried early on and the other had to go on bedrest at five or six months. I think it is too much of a coincidence for three out of three pregnancies to have either miscarriages or complications. When I become pregnant again, I will not be sitting in front of this computer very often!

April 27, 2001 - Rhonda I was nine weeks along and miscarried 2 weeks ago. I sit in front of a computer 8 hrs a day. The internal ultrasound found the sack but no baby. What a heartbreaking moment, for my husband and I! I'm 38yrs old and had 3 healthy pregnancies please give advice.

April 29, 2000 - Lisa It is strange how I carried two perfectly well, healthy pregnancies, ending is two perfect, heathly children PRIOR to owning a computer. I am pregnant with my third child now and have been plagued with bleeding and spotting from 17 weeks until present (20 weeks). We own a computer this time around and I spend three hours a day on here. Makes one think?

April 12, 2000 - Miquan I have had one daughter, two miscarriages, and I am pregnant again. Since my first daughter, I have not changed the usage of my computer which is on an average of about 7-8 hours per day. My daughter is healthy and I had no complications during childbirth and this baby, although it is still early, seems to be doing okay. A lot of times miscarriage has to do with the events that are going on in your life. If you are stressed out, that can cause a miscarriage; too much activity can cause a miscarriage, lack of relaxation, reaching, falling etc. can cause miscarriage but I don't think we can blame miscarriages on a computer. Go figure.

April 08, 2000 - Hilda Well maybe it does have something to do with it. I have 5 children between the ages of 17 thru 3 1/2 and all were just fine . Now I do have a computer I do sit in front of about three hours a day. And My baby was 8 weeks when his heart for no reason stopped beating 4-6-00 7 pm. Last week on Tuesday he had a strong heatbeat of 158. They just said maybe it was meant to be or something was wrong with it. I don't buy that. Something went wrong real quick and I believe it had to do with the outside world and not anything with him or his area inside. By the way, I got to see my baby and most people say its nothing but blood. Well its not. My baby had two legs, two arms two eyes and was very well developed. It's a baby no matter what size he is. He was only one inch long. My heart goes out to moms who have had more than one miscarriage. I never knew how painfull it was until now.

February 08, 2000 - Karla W. When I found out I was pregnant, I had just bought a computer. I had carried one pregnancy just fine, found out I was pregnant for the second time, bought a computer, boom, miscarriage, makes you wonder.

December 24, 1999 - Michelle I sit in front of a terminal around 7 hours a day. I just suffered a miscarriage early December, 1999. I am convinced that the terminal played some part. If ever I find myself pregnant again I'll be quiting my job and staying away from stuff like that from day one.

March 29, 1999 - Sherrie I don't understand how sitting in front of a VDT could cause a miscarriage. Where the baby is growing isn't even close to the screen. It's kind of scary to think that sitting in front of a computer could harm a fetus. I am a full time college student who works with computers all the time. I had a miscarriage about a month ago and I don't sit in front of the computer all the time. I am at the computer about an hour a day, unless I have lots of papers to type at one time. There are other reasons you could have lost your babies. I feel for you and losing a baby, even though it's inside of you, is hard.

May 18, 1997 - Alexandria I have had one miscarriage and wonder why. Both my mother and sister have delivered healthy children. Could it be because I sit in front of a video display terminal for more than 4 hours a day? I have heard so many rumors that this could be the main cause. I know the Dr. told me, that this one miscarriage will not prevent me from having a healthy pregnancy in the future. But the thought is scarry. All of my work is done on computer. Although I have only had one miscarriage, it still seems traumatic. I couldn't imagine going through that again. I pray for those who have suffered more than one. Are VDTs sincerely associated with miscarriages?

March 4, 1997 - Laura I have had three miscarriages and a fourth is threatening. The fetuses just seem to disappear without a trace. I never see the pass and the sacks are always still intact. I am a desktop publisher and am always on my computer. Is this abstract saying this could have something to do with my high miscarriage rate? I have two children already. When I was pregnant with my first child I was working for the Defense Department as a data entry clerk. My doctor told me to limit work on my computer to three hours a day. Please advise.


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