NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (NYSDH) SURVEY:

The NYSDH conducted a cross sectional health questionnaire survey of persons living in the Love Canal area as of June, 1978, coupled with selective clinical laboratory testing (especially liver function tests). Although information was sought regarding a wide range of health conditions, particular emphasis was placed on outcomes of pregnancy. Frequencies of low birth weight births (2500 grams or less) were determined from data contained in birth certificate records. Results comparing frequencies for each of these three types of abnormal pregnancy outcomes are shown in the table below. Comparisons were made both among different groups in the Love Canal area and with available outside data (abortion and low birth weight frequencies). Comparisons were adjusted for differences in maternal age and parity. For purposes of comparison, the area north of Colvin Boulevard was considered relatively unexposed to Canal chemicals.

Frequencies of Spontaneous Abortions, Low Birth Weight,
and Birth Defects, Love Canal Area, NYSDH Survey
  Adjoining Canal Rest of Canal Area

  97th Street 99th Street closest Wet Dry

North of Colvin Blvd

Number of women ever pregnant 20 22 49 98 66
Number of single fetus pregnancies 29 50 108 164 125
Number of women with abortions 3 7 16 16 11
Number of abortions 3 12 25 21 11
Frequency of Abortions          
Adjusted O/E ratio (1) 1.2 6.0** 3.4** 2.0 -
Adjusted O/E ratio (2) 0.7 1.5 1.5* 0.8 --
Number of women with live births 19 21 44 92 64
Number of live births 26 39 83 144 110
Number of women with Low Birth Weight (LBW) births 0 1 10 6 3
Number of LBW births 0 1 13** 11 3
Frequency of LBW births          
Number of women with Birth Defect (BD)children 0 4 7 7 7
Number of BD children 0 4 10 7 8
Frequency of BD children          

* P < 0.05
** P < 0.01
(1) Expected frequency from north of Colvin Boulevard
(2) Expected frequency from Warburton and Fraser (1963)



Creative Commons License
Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Health (DOH) - Modules 3: Occupational Medicine & Toxicology (Basic) by Profs Mohamed Jeebhay and Rodney Ehrlich, Health Sciences UCT is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa License. Major contributors: Mohamed Jeebhay, Rodney Ehrlich, Jonny Myers, Leslie London, Sophie Kisting, Rajen Naidoo, Saloshni Naidoo. Source available from here. For any updates to the material, or more permissions beyond the scope of this license, please email healthoer@uct.ac.za or visit www.healthedu.uct.ac.za. Last updated Jan 2007.
Disclaimer note: Some resources and descriptions may be out-dated. For suggested updates and feedback, please contact healthoer@uct.ac.za.