Evaluation of sex hormones state in female workers of mechanical rubber production

Abstract

Occupational conditions of female workers engaged into main occupations of mechanical rubber production (rubber mixing machine operator, rubber mixture rolling-mill operator) are characterized by hazardous combined influence of chemical and physical factors of occupational environment: acrylonitrile vapors, occupational noise, vibration. Equivalent noise levels exceed maximally allowable level up to 22 dBA (MAL<80 dBA); the work conditions are assigned to hazardous (class 3.1– 3.3). The air at workplace of rubber mixing machine operator and rubber mixture rolling-mill operator demonstrate 5.5 times increased acrylonitrile level, if compared to the one in a reference group. Female workers of the main group demonstrated dysbalance of sex hormones: up to 2.0 times increased serum levels 17-OH-progesterone, prolactin and estradiol and 1.3 times lower serum FSH, when compared to the same serum levels in female workers of the reference group. Higher serum level of 17-OH-progesterone and lower serum FSH appeared to have high (EF=54.12%) and extremely high (EF=78.74%) degree of occupational conditionality.