From: utzoo!decvax!duke!harpo!seismo!hao!menlo70!sytek!gi!arizona!tom
Newsgroups: net.general
Title: Pregnancy and Video Terminals
Article-I.D.: arizona.1300
Posted: Tue Jan 11 12:37:10 1983
Received: Thu Jan 13 07:06:44 1983

                                  Ban VDT's
   Update:  Union officials at a Vancouver hospital are calling for a ban on the
yue of video display terminals after a sixth abnormal pregnancy occurred among
women using the computer equipment.  Hospital workers at Surrey Memorial
Hospital in suburban Vancouver reported that of six recent pregnancies among VDT
operators, only one has produced a healthy baby.  Now another hospital worker
has miscarried.  In the wake of that miscarriage, the hospital workers' union
is demanding an immediate shutdown of the terminals, until they can be
thoroughly tested by an independent agency.  Similar clusters of multiple
miscarriages have occurred at other workplaces in the US and Canada, but the
total numbers of women involved have been so small until now that scientifically
"significant" studies have not been possible.
   For further information about possible health hazards to pregnant women who
work with Video Display Terminals, there is a booklet on the problem available
from Sharon Samek, Labor Occupational Health Program, UC Berkeley, 2521
Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94720.  Cost is $3.

--As appeared in the January 1983 issue of The Clarion, 302 E. University Blvd.,
Tucson, AZ  85705