Recently, an article was published in a well-known medical journal about the rate of congenital birth defects in Fallujah, Iraq.
The report describes four families living in Fallujah, and each of these families had at least one child with birth defects. Several questions were asked to the parents to identify possible exposure to toxic chemicals in the air they breathe, the dirt they walk on, the water they drink, or food they eat. This may include being close to chemical weapons and bombings, smoking and drinking habits of the parents, and a history of where they lived before, during, and after the war.
The results suggest that chemicals and metals from the Iraq War may have led to birth defects in the Iraqi children born during the conflict. The contaminants did not necessarily have an immediate effect on the parents. However, continued exposure to toxins over a long period of time and a build-up of the toxins in the parent’s body could lead to birth defects in their children.
This report is of absolute importance in figuring out why there is such a large backlog of Iraqi children needing heart surgery. It encourages specific possible sources leading to higher numbers of birth defects. This is incredibly important because if we find out why, then maybe we can prevent defects from occurring in babies being born in the future.