TITLE:
Changes in Congenital Anomaly Incidence in West Coast and Pacific States (USA) after Arrival of Fukushima Fallout
AUTHORS:
Joseph Mangano, Janette D. Sherman
KEYWORDS:
Birth Defects, Fukushima, Radiation, Meltdown, Nuclear Plant
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.5 No.1,
March
19,
2015
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