engleski

Incidence of major congenital malformations in a region of Bosnia and Herzegovina allegedly polluted with depleted uranium

Objectives. To determine the prevalence of major congenital malformations in West Herzegovina (a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) immediately and five years after a period of military activities and deployment of international peace-keeping corps, and see whether a presumed environmental pollution resulted in increased teratogenesis. Methods. The study included all liveborns and stillborns and excluded all aborted fetuses in two one-year cohorts of newborns in Maternity Department of the University Hospital Mostar. Malformations were recorded according to the recommendations of the EUROCAT protocol. Results. Major malformations were found in 40 out of 1, 853 newborns (2.16%) in 1995, and five years later in 33 out of 1, 463 newborns (2.26%). The prevalences are comparable. In both cohorts, anomalies of the musculo-sceletal system were the most common, followed by anomalies of the digestive system in 1995 and by anomalies of the cardiovascular system in 2000. The prevalences and the organ systems involved were essentially comparable to those in other populations not affected by military activities.Conclusion. Despite alleged environmental pollution in some regions of the former Yugoslavia, attributed to military activities and the presence of foreign troops (the "Balkan syndrome"), no significant increase in the prevalence of congenital malformations was recorded.

congenital malformations; war; environmental pollution;

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