Doctors in Fallujah have reported a rise in birth defects. In 2004, the city was the location of brutal urban combat between insurgents and US Marines. Now, doctors are saying that they are seeing an increased incidence of some birth defects. One researcher claims that heart defects have risen to rates 13 times higher than Europe:
British-based Iraqi researcher Malik Hamdan told the BBC’s World Today programme that doctors in Fallujah were witnessing a “massive unprecedented number” of heart defects, and an increase in the number of nervous system defects.
She said that one doctor in the city had compared data about birth defects from before 2003 – when she saw about one case every two months – with the situation now, when, she saw cases every day.
This is not the first time US military operations (or, more specifically, US weaponry) has been blamed for post-conflict health conditions. However, in this case there has been no published study confirming the Fallujah observations. I doubt we will have long to wait.
Christopher R. Albon is a political science Ph.D. specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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Thanks, Chris. I’m looking forward to a peer-reviewed epidemiological report on this pattern. I’d also like to know whether average birth weight fluctuated before and after the battle.
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