Reproductive history and adverse pregnancy outcomes in commercial flight crew and air traffic control officers in the United kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: To examine reproductive outcomes among flight crew. METHODS: Ten thousand two hundred five flight crew members and a control group of 2118 air traffic control officers completed a questionnaire in 2001 to 2004, United Kingdom. RESULTS: Similar proportions of flight crew and air traffic control officers reported having ever had difficulties in conceiving a baby. Risks of miscarriages and congenital malformations among pregnancies fathered by men who did not differ by occupation, but stillbirth risk was higher among flight crew (odds ratio = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.30-6.23). Among pregnancies reported by women, risks of miscarriage and stillbirth did not differ by occupation but risk of congenital malformations was higher among flight crew (odds ratio = 2.37; 95% CI = 0.43-13.06). CONCLUSIONS: Flight crew-related exposures were not associated with adverse reproductive outcomes except for possible links, based on small numbers, between paternal exposure and stillbirths and maternal exposure and congenital malformations.