مروری بر اثرات شنوایی و غیر شنوایی مواجهه شغلی با صدا بر سلامت زنان

Introduction: Increasing women’s participation in the labor market is one of the most important social phenomena in the world. Currently, the number of pregnant mothers working in industries in the developing countries is significant; therefore, there are always issues related to occupational hazards and pregnancy health. This study has analyzed articles that examined the complications of occupational noise exposure among women. Methods: To collect required data, available resources and electronic databases were used. To do so, keywords of occupational exposure, women, noise effects and pregnancy during1980 to 2016 were searched in international databases such as Science Direct, Scopus, ISI, Pubmed, and in internal databases, including Iranmedex, Magiran, and SID. Results: Studies have shown that there are differences in hearing loss as well as the description of tinnitus between men and women. Some studies have shown that the effect of sound in women, as a risk factor for the incidence of ischemic heart disease and changes in plasma cortisol levels, is significantly higher than that of men. Also, exposure to sound during pregnancy can lead to reduced fetal growth by altering the mother's endocrine system. And may also cause hearing loss in the baby after birth. Increased blood pressure, painful menstruation, hormonal disorders, and reduced fertility are other complications of exposure to women by voice. Conclusion: The present review article showed that the women’s exposure to occupational noise has specific effects in addition to hearing loss and physiological effects which for women in all circumstances, and especially during pregnancy, can have more consequences than men. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to the physiological and even psychological characteristics of women, especially pregnant women, in the occupational health monitoring program and periodic medical examinations.