The Chernobyl accident, congenital anomalies and other reproductive outcomes

Studies of the association between the Chernobyl accident in April 1986 and reproductive outcome, with particular reference to congenital anomalies, are reviewed. All of the studies so far have been based on the detection of a change in frequency over time. An increased frequency of trisomy 21 in the former West Berlin in January 1987, and increases in the frequency of neural tube defects in several small hospital-based series in Turkey, are not confirmed in larger and more representative series in Europe. No clear changes in the prevalence at birth of anomalies which might be associated with the accident are apparent in Byelorussia or the Ukraine, the republics with the highest exposure to fallout. However, these data are difficult to interpret as the methods of acquisition have not been described and they have not yet been reported in full. Thus, there is no consistent evidence of a detrimental physical effect of the Chernobyl accident on congenital anomalies. This is also the case for other measured outcomes of pregnancy. There is evidence of indirect effects--an increase in induced abortions substantial enough to show as a reduction in total births, due to anxieties created. Data are not available on the reproductive outcomes of women pregnant at the time of the accident who were evacuated from the 30 km zone of immediate contamination, of workers in the plant at the time of the accident or of decontamination workers. Moreover, no data are available from several of the other countries closest to the Chernobyl area.