title: Pregnancy and birth survey after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in Fukushima prefecture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  On 11 March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake followed by a powerful tsunami hit the Pacific Coast of Northeast Japan and damaged Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing a radiation hazard in Fukushima Prefecture. The objective of this report is to describe some results of a questionnaire-based pregnancy and birth survey conducted by the Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were sent to women who received maternal and child health handbooks from municipal officers in Fukushima Prefecture between 1 August 2010 and 31 July 2011, with the aim of reaching those who were pregnant at the time of the disaster. Mailing began 18 January 2012. Data were analyzed separately for six geographic areas in Fukushima Prefecture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of women meeting survey criteria was 15,972. The number of responses received to date is 9,298 (58.2%). Data from 8602 respondents were analyzed after excluding 634 invalid responses and 5 induced and 57 spontaneous abortions (less than 22 gestational weeks). The incidences of stillbirth (over 22 completed gestational weeks), preterm birth, low birth weight and congenital anomalies were 0.25%, 4.4%, 8.7% and 2.72%, respectively. These incidences are similar to recent averages elsewhere in Japan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the pregnancy and birth survey data in aggregate, our disaster seemed to provoke no significant adverse outcomes over the whole of Fukushima prefecture. But post-disaster prenatal care and support intended for patients' safety and security should be coupled with ongoing surveillance and rigorous data analysis.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey.
authors.forename: Keiya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.forename: Hyo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kyozuka
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasumura
authors.forename: Misao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohtsuru
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Kouta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Akihito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Mieko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D055866:Earthquakes / Q000266:history; D005260:Female; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006306:Health Surveys; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology; D057192:Tsunamis / Q000266:history