Table 1 Residential environmental characteristics of the study subjects
Characteristics | Controls (N = 75) | Cases (N = 44) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
n (%) or median (interquartile) | n (%) or median (interquartile) | ||
Gestational weeks at the time of questionnaires (weeks) a | 24 (10) | 24 (4) | 0.998 |
Gestational weeks at the time of field investigation (weeks) a | 26 (8) | 25 (3) | 0.398 |
Time spent indoors each day during the first trimester (hours) a | 20 (5) | 18 (5) | 0.850 |
House renovation and ventilation | |||
No renovation | 54 (72.0) | 30 (68.27) | 0.002 |
Living in a newly redecorated house with move-in interval < 3 months | 2 (2.7) | 9 (20.5) | |
Living in a newly redecorated house with move-in interval ≥ 3 months | 19(25.3) | 5 (11.4) | |
Indoor combustion sources | |||
Electric cooking stoves | 12 (16.0) | 7(15.9) | 0.967 |
Charcoal or wood burning | 0 | 0 | |
Household piped gas burning | 63 (84.0) | 37 (84.1) | |
Indoor floor decoration | |||
Wood-base flooring | 35 (46.7) | 16 (36.4) | 0.389 |
Marble and tile paving | 9 (12.0) | 10 (22.7) | |
Carpet | 2 (2.7) | 2 (4.5) | |
Mix of various materials | 29 (38.7) | 16 (36.4) | |
Indoor wall decoration | |||
Wallpaper | 4 (5.3) | 2 (4.5) | 0.934 |
Paint | 35 (46.7) | 22 (50.0) | |
Mix of various materials | 36 (48.0) | 20 (45.5) | |
Indoor furniture and ornaments | |||
Wood-base furniture | 37 (49.3) | 23 (52.3) | 0.452 |
Wood and leather furniture | 13 (17.3) | 4 (9.1) | |
Mix of various materials | 25 (33.3) | 17 (38.6) | |
Second-hand smoke | |||
Not exposed | 47 (62.7) | 21 (47.7) | 0.112 |
Exposed | 28 (37.3) | 23 (52.3) | |
Exposure to environmental pollutants nearby the residence | |||
Cornfields and orchards | 2 | 4 | |
Chemical plant | 1 | 0 | |
Heavy-traffic road | 25 | 18 | |
Incineration plant | 0 | 1 | |
More than two facilities concomitantly | 0 | 4 | |
Special facilities combined | |||
No | 47 (62.7) | 17 (38.6) | 0.004 |
Heavy traffic road | 25 (33.3) | 18 (40.9) | |
Other special facilities | 3 (4.0) | 9 (20.5) | |
Smoke ventilators usage when cooking | |||
No | 14 (18.7) | 18 (40.9) | 0.008 |
Yes | 61 (81.3) | 26 (59.1) | |
Exposure to household chemical products | |||
Pesticides | 7 | 2 | |
Disinfectants and sanitizers | 1 | 1 | |
Paints, dyes and glues | 1 | 0 | |
Household cleaning agents | 5 | 2 | |
Special chemicals combined | |||
None | 52 (69.3) | 32 (72.7) | 0.917 |
One | 14 (18.7) | 7 (15.9) | |
Multiple | 9 (12.0) | 5 (11.4) | |