Pregnancy outcome in Sweden after the Chernobyl accident.

OBJECTIVE

To study pregnancy outcome including development of childhood cancer in areas within Sweden with the highest radioactive fallout after the Chernobyl accident in 1986.

METHODS

Various Swedish health registries were used in order to identify all pregnancies and their outcome in Sweden according to the measured radioactive fallout.

RESULTS

A reduction in conception rate occurred after the accident, as well as possible increase in induced abortion rate during the fall after the accident. No changes in the rate of spontaneous abortions or congenital malformations occurred in pregnancies exposed at the time of the accident. There was a temporary increase in low birth weight which could well be random. Among infants conceived after the accident, a slight excess of Down syndrome infants was found in the most exposed areas but this observation is based on small numbers. No certain excess of childhood cancer was seen in the most exposed areas, but three infants, in utero at the time of the accident, developed leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS

No major effects on pregnancy outcome were seen but the indicated increase in Down syndrome and childhood leukemia--if not random--could be a result of radioactive exposure.