title: Birth defects in Gaza: prevalence, types, familiarity and correlation with environmental factors.
abstract: This is the first report of registration at birth, and of incidence of major structural birth defects (BD) obtained in Gaza at Al Shifa Hospital, where 28% of total births in Gaza Strip occur. Doctors registered 4,027 deliveries, with a protocol comprehensive of clinical, demographic, kin and environmental questions. Prevalence of BD is 14/1,000, without association with intermarriage or gender of the child. Prevalence of late miscarriages and still births are respectively 23.3/1,000 and 7.4/1,000, and of premature births 19.6/1,000. Couples with a BD child have about 10 times higher frequency of recurrence of a BD in their progeny than those with normal children, but none of their 694 siblings and only 10/1,000 of their 1,423 progeny had BD, similar to the frequency in general population. These data suggest occurrence of novel genetic and epigenetic events in determination of BD. Children with BD were born with higher frequency (p < 0 001) in families where one or both parents were under "white phosphorus" attack, that in the general population. Bombing of the family home and removal of the rubble were also frequently reported by couples with BD occurrence. These data suggests a causative/favoring role of acute exposure of parents to the weapons-associated contaminants, and/or of their chronic exposure from their persistence in the environment on the embryonic development of their children.
authors: Palestinian Energy Authority, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Awny
authors: A
authors: Naim
authors: Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Hedaya
authors: H
authors: Al Dalies
authors: Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Mohammed
authors: M
authors: El Balawi
authors: Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Eman
authors: E
authors: Salem
authors: Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Kholud
authors: K
authors: Al Meziny
authors: IT consultant, Gaza, Palestine.
authors: Raneem
authors: R
authors: Al Shawwa
authors: Nephrology Department, University of Naples, Via Giovanni Paladino, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Minutolo
authors: Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza, Palestine.|Genetics Department, University of Genoa, C.Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Manduca
mesh_terms: D054042:Bombs; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants