X-Rays and anaesthetic gases used without appropriate protection can increase risk of miscarriage in female veterinarians, according to West Australian researchers.

The study was done by scientists at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) and The University of Western Australia’s School Of Population Health.

The research included more than 1200 women, graduates from an Australian veterinary schools over a 40-year period, and showed the occupational dangers of x-rays, anaesthetic gases and pesticides: they can have serious influence on pregnancy and fertility.

Professor Lin Fritschi, a WAIMR Associate, said that findings “showed that female veterinarians exposed to an hour or more of anaesthetic gases or exposed to pesticides during the course of their duties were twice as likely to miscarry during pregnancy”.

Also, they found out that two thirds of the female veterinarians surveyed spent five or more hours a week in an operating suite or recovery room area, and many of them (close to a quarter) did not wear any protection and were completely exposed to the gases.

Professor Fritschi stated that women should be aware that protection is necessary and that can be achieved by wearing the right aprons, ventilating the workplace and minimizing the amount of exposure by using appropriate masks, shoes and gloves.

She concluded that “vets most at risk of dangerous exposures include graduates, vets under 30 years of age, those working in a mixed animal practice and vets working more than 45 hours a week.”