Pregnancy outcome in women exposed to toxic gas at Bhopal.

ABSTRACT

A study was undertaken to compare the effects of exposure to the toxic gas in pregnant women in Bhopal with pregnant women in a similar, unexposed area. A high incidence of spontaneous abortions (24.2%) in the pregnant women exposed to the toxic gas was observed as compared to those in the control area (5.6%). Other indices of adverse reproductive outcome, such as the rate of still birth and congenital malformation were not found to be different. The perinatal and neonatal mortalities were significantly higher in the affected area (6.9 and 6.1% respectively), as compared to the control area (5.0 and 4.5% respectively).