Loud noise and pregnancy.

Whether loud noise is harmful to the developing fetus and warrants removal of the pregnant woman from exposure remains ambiguous. The role of noise attenuation in utero in determining risk is discussed in this review. Reports in the medical literature have been frequently found to have confounders for human fetal development. Animal noise data are presented and their cautious extrapolation to humans is recommended. In summary, pregnant women should not unnecessarily be removed from the work force, and the Aeromedical Council may wish to establish policy for pregnant workers exposed to hazardous noise.