Effect of Inhalational Anesthetics Exposure on Reproductive Outcomes and its Predictors Among Health Care Personnel in Jimma Zone Public Hospitals, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

Background Emerging of anesthetic opens a new era to medical discipline in relieving patient’s pain and stress who undergoing surgery but simultaneously exposes the health care personnel working in areas of anesthetic exposure to many adverse health effects including reproductive outcomes effects. Therefore this study aimed to assess the effect of inhalational anesthetics exposure on reproductive outcomes and its predictors among Health care personnel in hospitals of Jimma zone public hospitals. Methods Comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from May 01 to 30, 2021. We approached 483 health care personnel in Jimma zone public hospitals to partake in this study. Of this number, we recruited 292 Health care personnel, comprising 146 exposed health care personnel and 146 unexposed Health care personnel. Structured questionnaires were used to assess the reproductive outcomes. Data were entered into EPI-data version 4.6.1 and exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Binary logistic regressions were carried out to identify associated factors with reproductive outcomes. Statistical significance was declared using a p value< 0.05. Results. The overall prevalence of bad reproductive outcome status was high (30.8%) and the prevalence was much higher among exposed HCPs, ( 20.9%) when compared to unexposed HCPs (9.9%)). Among a total of 292 HCPs, the likelihood of occurred bad reproductive outcomes was higher among an exposed group (AOR=3.17, 95%CI: 1.40-7.16); smoke cigarettes (AOR=8.44, 95%CI: 1.93-36.91). The occurrence rate of bad reproductive outcome was higher among 30-45h/week exposure (AOR=11.94; 95%CI: 1.25-24.95) if separately analyzed among exposed and age of couple above41years among unexposed (AOR=5.87, 95%CI: 1.56-22.06) were significantly associated with bad reproductive outcomes. Conclusion Prevalence of bad reproductive outcomes was higher among exposed HCPs. Hence, it requires attention through creating awareness about the danger of anesthetics exposure in the study setting suggesting the need to further minimize the exposure.