Asynchrony in circadian processes alters many physiological systems, including female reproduction ( 5, 6). Quantity and quality of sleep can be affected and the circadian rhythm, the 24-h biological cycle that regulates sleep and wakefulness, can be disrupted ( 4). Night shift work, in particular, may interfere with the lives and reproductive health of women. Such changes in work arrangements disproportionately affect women, who predominate in the growth industries ( 3). One implication of this is increased non-standard and flexible working time arrangements ( 2). The nature of paid work and the workforce in Western societies is changing, with manual laboring jobs declining and demand for workers in the service and care industries increasing ( 1). This increased risk may reflect young women's vulnerability in terms of poor tolerance of night shift work, and/or lack of control and choice about shift schedule. Among women who underwent fertility treatment, night shift workers were more likely than day workers to have menstrual irregularity (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.05–1.91) or endometriosis (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.00–1.80).Ĭonclusions: Night shift work may contribute to increased need for fertility treatment in younger women. Ethnicity, socioeconomic status and smoking did not affect these results. There were no associations among women >35 years. Results: Among women ≤35 years, night shift workers were more likely to require fertility treatment (all: OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.19–1.64 in paid employment: OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.08–1.50). Potential confounders were considered in all analyses. Secondly, among women who conceived with fertility treatment, we assessed associations between night shift work and type of infertility diagnosis. Interactions between age and shift work status were also examined. First, the association between night shift work and fertility treatment was assessed among (1) all women, then (2) women in paid employment, using logistic regression. Potential exposure to night shift work was assessed using a job-exposure matrix. Methods: In a retrospective data linkage study of 128,852 primiparous women, fertility treatment data were linked to the state perinatal registry for South Australia (1986–2002). This study examined whether women who worked night shift were more likely than those who did not to require fertility treatment to conceive a first birth, whether they had specific infertility diagnoses, and if such relationships were age-specific. Thus, there are possible reproductive consequences of night shift work for women including menstrual irregularity, endometriosis, and prolonged time to conception. Background: Asynchrony in circadian processes alters many physiological systems, including female reproduction.
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