PREGNANCY OUTCOME IN SWEDEN AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

Objective. To study pregnancy outcome including development of childho od 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 ou tcome 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 th e accident. No changes in the rate of spontaneous abortions or congeni tal malformations occurred in pregnancies exposed at the time of the a ccident. There was a temporary increase in low birth weight which coul d well be random. Among infants conceived after the accident, a slight excess of Down syndrome infants was found in the most exposed areas b ut this observation is based on small numbers. No certain excess of ch ildhood 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 inc rease in Down syndrome and childhood leukemia-if not random-could be a result of radioactive exposure. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.