Reduced fertility after the crash of a U.S. bomber carrying nuclear weapons? A register-based study on male fertility.
A register-based study was performed to elucidate whether workers employed on the Thule air base in the clean-up period after the crash of a U.S. B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs had reduced fertility, as measured by the numbers of liveborn children. The highest birth rates were among 25-34-year olds with 1-3 years of employment on the base, but who had not worked at the base the year before, who already had one child, with a 2-5-year interval since the birth of the last child. No difference was seen between the group of men who had worked at the base during the clean-up period after the crash--the possibly exposed group--and those people who had worked at the base only outside the clean-up period. Because of the massive media coverage and possible claims for damages a register-based study is the only practicable way of elucidating statements about infertility. The main conclusion is that the accident has not reduced fertility.
Juel
K
K
Danish Institute for Clinical Epidemiology, Copenhagen O, Denmark.
D000060:Accidents, Aviation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000208:ethnology; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018812:Paternal Exposure; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012042:Registries
D011850:Radioactive Waste