Health effect of chronic exposure to carbon disulfide (CS₂) on women employed in viscose industry

Many women are exposed to carbon disulfide (CS₂) hazards at work every day. Working with CS₂ may cause some women to experience abnormalities in their reproductive health. Until now obtained data is generally concentrated on the health effects of CS₂ observed in the viscose industry. To date, CS₂ has not been studied precisely for its potential to have damaging effects on female reproductive system, especially the frequency of menstrual disturbances and the course of menopause. The aim of the study was to sum up female reproductive health hazards amongst women chronically exposed to CS₂ in their workplace in the viscose industry. In order to study the effect of CS₂ in the contemporary viscose industry, exposure measurements should be collected in prospective or cross-sectional studies. In conclusion, reproductive health hazards for women chronically exposed to CS2 in the workplace in the viscose industry are the following: 1) menstrual disorders essentially are more frequent than in the case of the healthy women, 2) for women chronically exposed to CS₂ the average menopausal age is statistically earlier, as compared to healthy women, 3) complex disturbances in neurohormonal system for women exposed to CS2, resulting from toxic influences of CS₂, which cause the secretion of estrogens and progesterone in ovaries and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in the adrenal gland to diminish. Med Pr 2018;69(3):329–335