Case-Control Study of Neural Tube Defects and Drinking Water Contaminants

摘要

A statewide case-control study of neural tube defects (NTDs) and certain drikingwater contaminants was conducted in New Jersey. Cases and controls were populations based for the years 1993 and 1994. Exposures were estimated both from public monitoring records concurrent with the fourth week of gestation and from tap water sampling at participants' residences one year later. There was general consistency between the exposures estimates and findings using these two sources of data. Elevated odds ratios of 1.5 to 2.1 were found for associations of NTDs with trihalomethanes. Associations of almost equal strength were also found for chlorine residual in tap water and for surface water. Other major groups of disinfection by-products (haloacetic acids and haloacetronitriles) did not show clear relationships to NTDs. Nitrates were not observed to be associated with NTDs.