Birth Outcomes Among Military Personnel Following Exposure to Documented Open-Air Burn Pits Before and During Pregnancy.

摘要

Background Studies suggest that maternal exposure to air pollutants during pregnancy may be associated with a spectrum of adverse birth outcomes including an increased risk of birth defects (particularly cardiac anomalies), low birth weight (LBW), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and preterm delivery (PTD). Additionally, exposure to air pollutants in men has been associated with reduced sperm quality, and there is evidence that paternal preconception exposures to environmental contaminants may adversely affect birth outcomes as well. Methods: Electronic data from the Department of Defense Birth and Infant Health Registry and the Defense Manpower Data Center were used to examine the prevalence of birth defects and preterm birth among infants of active-duty women and men who were deployed within a 3-mile radius of a documented open-air burn pit before or during pregnancy. Results: In general, burn pit exposure at various times in relation to pregnancy and for differing durations was not consistently associated with an increase in birth defects or preterm birth in infants of active-duty military personnel. Conclusions: These analyses offer reassurance to service members that burn pit exposure is not consistently associated with these select adverse infant health outcomes.