Changes in Congenital Anomaly Incidence in West Coast and Pacific States (USA) after Arrival of Fukushima Fallout ()
ABSTRACT
Radioactive fallout after the March
2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown entered the U.S. environment within days; levels
of radioactivity were particularly elevated in the five western states
bordering on the Pacific Ocean. The particular sensitivity of the fetus to
radiation exposure, and the ability of radioisotopes to attach to cells,
tissues, and DNA raise the question of whether fetuses/newborns with birth
defects with the greater exposures suffered elevated harm during the period
after the meltdown. We compare rates of five congenital anomalies for 2010 and
2011 births from April-November. The increase of 13.00% in the five western
states is significantly greater than the 3.77% decrease for all other U.S.
states combined (CI 0.030 - 0.205, p < 0.008). Consistent patterns of
elevated increases are observed in the west (20 of 21 comparisons, 6 of which
are statistically significant/borderline significant), by state, type of birth
defect, month of birth, and month of conception. While these five anomalies are
relatively uncommon (about 7500 cases per year in the U.S.), sometimes making
statistical significance difficult to achieve, the consistency of the results
lend strength to the analysis, and suggest fetal harm from Fukushima may have
occurred in western U.S. states.
Share and Cite:
Mangano, J. and Sherman, J. (2015) Changes in Congenital Anomaly Incidence in West Coast and Pacific States (USA) after Arrival of Fukushima Fallout.
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
5, 76-89. doi:
10.4236/ojped.2015.51013.