Obstetrics personnel report noise-induced hearing-related symptoms
Sound levels during childbirth are comparable to peak levels during rock concerts. The sound levels that obstetrics personnel encounter during a shift exceed current occupational limits, and 55% of personnel experience hearing-related symptoms. A research team has studied occupational noise exposure at one of the largest Swedish obstetric wards.Noise is the most common cause of reported workplace injuries in the EU. Research in the field has focused on high-risk industrial environments. Female-dominated workplaces, which are often communication-intense, have been largely ignored. Among them