Risk of congenital anomalies near the Byker waste combustion plant.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether the risk of congenital anomalies in a population resident close to a waste combustion plant located at Byker in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, was higher than in a population resident further away. METHODS: A geographical study was carried out on the prevalence of congenital anomalies in residents living within 3 km (inner zone) of the Byker combustion plant compared with those living 3-7 km (outer zone) from the plant. There were 81255 live births (1985-1999) and 1508 cases with chromosomal and non-chromosomal congenital anomalies. The cases were identified from the Northern Region Congenital Abnormality Survey. RESULTS: After the site commenced operation the estimated rate ratio (inner versus outer zone) was 1.11 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) 0.96-1.28) adjusted for socio-economic deprivation. There was significant heterogeneity across years and an increasing trend, of marginal significance (p = 0.07), in the rate ratio. The inner zone rate approached or became significantly higher than that in the outer zone in some of the later years. CONCLUSIONS: No significant overall association between the number of congenital anomalies and proximity of residence to the Byker waste combustion plant has been found in this study. Significantly increased rates near the site during the later years may suggest a possible risk but are difficult to interpret. More comprehensive, multi-site investigations around other waste combustion plants are indicated.

Fetal, perinatal, and infant death with congenital renal anomaly.

AIMS: To ascertain why 19.6% of pregnancies in which a fetal renal anomaly has been detected fail to produce a surviving child, and whether antenatal diagnostic accuracy has altered since specialised fetal medicine units were established in 1995. METHODS: An analysis of deaths was conducted among fetuses and babies with a congenital abnormality in the urinary tract notified to the Northern Region Congenital Abnormality Survey (NorCAS). There were 560 deaths among 2857 cases with an anomaly in the urinary tract delivered between 19 February 1984 and 21 March 2000. RESULTS: Renal anomaly was the cause of death in 323 (57.7%) cases. Excluding 10 which were not screened, 126 (60%) of 210 pre-1995 had been suspected antenatally and 81 (78.6%) of 103 post-1995. No abnormality had been suspected in 39 (18.6%) cases pre-1995 and four (3.9%) post-1995. Postnatal death occurred in 89 (41.4%) pre-1995 and in 13 (12%) post-1995. There were 209 cases of death caused by anomalies in other systems but with a renal anomaly present, of which 66 (31.6 %) were chromosomal and 36 (54.5%) had a horseshoe kidney. Of the cases with a horseshoe kidney, 56.3% had a chromosomal anomaly. CONCLUSIONS: The antenatal diagnosis of renal anomalies which cause death did not improve significantly in the second period of this study. However, the number of false positive antenatal diagnoses and the number of postnatal deaths were significantly lower and the number of pregnancy terminations were significantly higher. This reduced the risk of delivering a live baby with an unexpected fatal renal anomaly.

Chromosomal congenital anomalies and residence near hazardous waste landfill sites.

Previous findings of the EUROHAZCON study showed a 33% increase in risk of non-chromosomal anomalies near hazardous waste landfill sites. Here, we studied 245 cases of chromosomal anomalies and 2412 controls who lived near 23 such sites in Europe. After adjustment for confounding by maternal age and socioeconomic status, we noted a higher risk of chromosomal anomalies in people who lived close to sites (0-3 km) than in those who lived further away (3-7 km; odds ratio 1.41, 95% CI 1.00-1.99). Our results suggest an increase in risk of chromosomal anomalies similar to that found for non-chromosomal anomalies.