Trichloroethylene spontaneous abortion

A retrospective case-control study conducted in humans compared spontaneous abortion rates among women who had been exposed occupationally or nonoccupationally to trichloroethylene and other solvents to rates among women without solvent exposure (Windham et al. 1991). The authors observed approximately three times the risk of spontaneous abortion with exposure to trichloroethylene. This risk increased further when women with less than a half hour of exposure to trichloroethylene each week were excluded from the analysis. However, a consistent dose-response relationship was not observed, and most of the women were exposed to a variety of solvents, not just trichloroethylene. 

Reproductive Effects. Operating room nurses exposed to trichloroethylene have been reported to have an increased incidence of miscarriages, but they were exposed to many other anesthetics as well (Corbett et al. 1974). Survey results of 1,926 women who had spontaneous abortions revealed a greater risk of abortion associated with trichloroethylene exposure (Windham et al. 1991). This study is limited by multiple chemical exposure. Humans exposed to trichloroethylene in the drinking water in certain areas of the country have not shown adverse reproductive effects (Byers et al. 1988 Freni and Bloomer 1988 Lagakos et al. 1986a). 

Reproductive Toxicity. Increased miscarriages were reported in one study of nurse-anesthetists exposed to trichloroethylene and other solvents (Corbett et al. 1974). A retrospective case-control study has should an approximate 3-fold increase in spontaneous abortion in women exposed to trichloroethylene and other solvents (Windham et al. 1991). Significant effects on sperm parameters were not observed in men occupationally exposed to trichloroethylene (Rasmussen et al. 1988). Adverse reproductive effects were not noted in humans that ingested water contaminated with trichloroethylene and other solvents (Byers et al. 

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is the most common and abundant pollutant in ground-water in the United States. It is primarily used as a solvent to remove grease fiom metal parts, as a solvent for extraction of waxes, oil, fats, tar, and in several consumer products such as paints, carpet cleaning fluid, etc. It is estimated that between 9% and 34% of drinking water supply sources are contaminated with TCE. Several epidemiological studies link TCE exposure to health problems related to congenital heart disease, spontaneous abortion, cancer, etc. 

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