TOXICANTS IN HUMAN PLACENTA AND REPRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES IN UKRAINE

在新独立的国家乌克兰，环境污染是

In the newly independent country of Ukraine, environmental pollution is severe; the contamination is due not only to the Chernobyl accident, but to intensive agricultural practices and outmoded industrial technology. The purpose of this study is to describe the burden of toxicants in placentas and milk of women who deliver infants in such circumstances, and to document their reproductive outcome. To our knowledge, this is the first population-based description of pregnancy outcome in a former Soviet country. To accomplish these aims, we are collaborating with the Ukrainian "ELSPAC" study, one of several European studies initiated by the World Health Organization. We have obtained placenta and milk samples from over 2,200 women who delivered in two study sites and stored them for future analysis. Gross pathology and morphometrics have been done for all placentas. Medical records for the first 1200 women to deliver are in a computer file, as are questionnaire data from the same women. Environmental data from the two Ukrainian cities in which the study was conducted have been received. Methology checks to confirm quality of data are being conducted. Placentas and milk from a random sample of 200 women are being assayed for a variety of environmental pollutants.