NO EVIDENCE OF INCREASE IN BIRTH-DEFECTS AND HEALTH-PROBLEMS AMONG CHILDREN BORN TO PERSIAN-GULF-WAR VETERANS IN MISSISSIPPI

The Department of Veterans' Affairs, Jackson, Mississippi, and the Mis sissippi State Department of Health conducted a collaborative investig ation of an apparent increase in the numbers of birth defects and othe r health problems among children born to veterans of two Mississippi N ational Guard units who had served in the Persian Gulf War, The medica l records of all children conceived by and born to veterans of the two units after deployment were reviewed; observed numbers of birth defec ts and other health problems were compared with expected numbers using rates from birth defect surveillance systems and previous surveys, Th e total number of all types of birth defects was not greater than expe cted, but whether the number of specific birth defects was greater tha n expected could not be determined, The frequency of premature birth, low birth weight, and other health problems appeared similar to that i n the general population.