Birth Defect Cluster Goes Unexplained
A cluster of babies born with anencephaly, a birth defect in which parts of the brain or skull haven’t formed, in three counties near Yakima, Washington has health officials perplexed.
A cluster of babies born with anencephaly, a birth defect in which parts of the brain or skull haven’t formed, in three counties near Yakima, Washington has health officials perplexed.
In January of 2013 the number of cases in the previous three years was calculated and found to be 4 times the national average. Instances have since continued to occur.
The developmental anomaly is often caused by an insufficient supply of B-vitamin folic acid during pregnancy, but according to local CDC and health officials, that doesn’t appear to be the cause in these instances.
Inquiries into the families’ histories, mothers’ pre-pregnancy weights, and drinking water sources also didn’t turn up anything out of the ordinary.
Due to a lack of resources, those doing the research were unable to contact the parents individually and conduct interviews and so had to rely on medical records only.
Another challenge was the small size of the affected group, which makes it more difficult to identify behavioral and environmental trends and isolate relevant factors.
Given that after the original study concluded there have been more cases, the investigation is ongoing.
A cluster of babies born with anencephaly, a birth defect in which parts of the brain or skull haven’t formed, in three counties near Yakima, Washington has health officials perplexed.
In January of 2013 the number of cases in the previous three years was calculated and found to be 4 times the national average. Instances have since continued to occur.
The developmental anomaly is often caused by an insufficient supply of B-vitamin folic acid during pregnancy, but according to local CDC and health officials, that doesn’t appear to be the cause in these instances.
Inquiries into the families’ histories, mothers’ pre-pregnancy weights, and drinking water sources also didn’t turn up anything out of the ordinary.
Due to a lack of resources, those doing the research were unable to contact the parents individually and conduct interviews and so had to rely on medical records only.
Another challenge was the small size of the affected group, which makes it more difficult to identify behavioral and environmental trends and isolate relevant factors.
Given that after the original study concluded there have been more cases, the investigation is ongoing.