Arsenic in Drinking-water and Reproductive Health Outcomes: A Study of Participants in the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Programme

This study examined 2,006 pregnant women chronically exposed to a range of naturally-occurring concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water in three upazilas in Bangladesh to find out relationships between arsenic exposure and selected reproductive health outcomes. While there was a small but statist...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of health, population and nutrition Vol. 24; no. 2
Main Authors Kwok, Richard K, Kaufmann, Rachel B, Jakariya, M
Format Journal Article
Published Bangladesh ICDDR,B: Centre for Health and Population Research 23.02.2007
Subjects
Arsenic
Arsenic exposure
Bangladesh
Drinking-water
Pregnancy outcomes
Reproductive health
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Summary:This study examined 2,006 pregnant women chronically exposed to a range of naturally-occurring concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water in three upazilas in Bangladesh to find out relationships between arsenic exposure and selected reproductive health outcomes. While there was a small but statistically significant association between arsenic exposure and birth-defects (odds ratio=1.005, 95% confidence interval 1.001-1.010), other outcomes, such as stillbirth, low birth-weight, childhood stunting, and childhood under-weight, were not associated with arsenic exposure. It is possible that the association between arsenic exposure from drinking-water and birth-defects may be a statistical anomaly due to the small number of birth-defects observed. Future studies should look more closely at birth-defects, especially neural tube defects, to elucidate any potential health effects associated with arsenic exposure from drinking-water. Further, given the knowledge that serious health effects can result from chronic arsenic exposure, efforts to find alternatives of safe drinking-water for the population must continue.
ISSN:1606-0997