Leppold Claire, Nomura Shuhei, Sawano Toyoaki, Ozaki Akihiko, Tsubokura Masaharu, Hill Sarah, Kanazawa Yukio, Anbe Hiroshi
Global Public Health Unit, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LD, UK.
Department of Research, Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, Minamisoma, Fukushima 975-0033, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2017 May 19;14(5):542. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14050542.
Changes in population birth outcomes, including increases in low birthweight or preterm births, have been documented after natural and manmade disasters. However, information is limited following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster. In this study, we assessed whether there were long-term changes in birth outcomes post-disaster, compared to pre-disaster data, and whether residential area and food purchasing patterns, as proxy measurements of evacuation and radiation-related anxiety, were associated with post-disaster birth outcomes. Maternal and perinatal data were retrospectively collected for all live singleton births at a public hospital, located 23 km from the power plant, from 2008 to 2015. Proportions of low birthweight (<2500 g at birth) and preterm births (<37 weeks gestation at birth) were compared pre- and post-disaster, and regression models were conducted to assess for associations between these outcomes and evacuation and food avoidance. A total of 1101 live singleton births were included. There were no increased proportions of low birthweight or preterm births in any year after the disaster (merged post-disaster risk ratio of low birthweight birth: 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64-1.51; and preterm birth: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.38-1.21). No significant associations between birth outcomes and residential area or food purchasing patterns were identified, after adjustment for covariates. In conclusion, no changes in birth outcomes were found in this institution-based investigation after the Fukushima disaster. Further research is needed on the pathways that may exacerbate or reduce disaster effects on maternal and perinatal health.
在自然和人为灾难之后，已记录到人口出生结局的变化，包括低出生体重或早产情况增加。然而，2011年福岛第一核电站灾难之后的相关信息有限。在本研究中，我们评估了与灾难前数据相比，灾难后出生结局是否存在长期变化，以及作为疏散和辐射相关焦虑替代指标的居住区域和食品购买模式是否与灾难后出生结局相关。我们回顾性收集了2008年至2015年在一家距离核电站23公里的公立医院出生的所有单胎活产的孕产妇和围产期数据。比较了灾难前后低出生体重（出生时<2500克）和早产（出生时孕周<37周）的比例，并建立回归模型以评估这些结局与疏散和食品回避之间的关联。总共纳入了1101例单胎活产。灾难后的任何一年中，低出生体重或早产的比例均未增加（合并的灾难后低出生体重儿风险比：0.98，95%置信区间（CI）：0.64 - 1.51；早产风险比：0.68，95%CI：0.38 - 1.21）。在对协变量进行调整后，未发现出生结局与居住区域或食品购买模式之间存在显著关联。总之，在这项基于机构的调查中，福岛灾难后未发现出生结局有变化。需要进一步研究可能加剧或减轻灾难对孕产妇和围产期健康影响的途径。
