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China birth defects 'up sharply' | |
(about 12 hours later) | |
A senior family planning official in China has noted an alarming rise in the number of babies with birth defects, a Chinese media report says. | A senior family planning official in China has noted an alarming rise in the number of babies with birth defects, a Chinese media report says. |
Jiang Fan, from China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, said environmental pollution was a cause of the increase. | |
The coal-mining heartland of Shanxi province had the biggest problem. | |
China has reported the trend before, and it was not clear if Mr Jiang was commenting on new or old statistics. | |
A 2007 commission report said the rate of defects had risen 40% since 2001, from 104.9 per 10,000 births to 145.5 in 2006. | |
Officials blame emissions from Shanxi's large coal and chemical industry for the problems there. | |
"The problem of birth defects is related to environmental pollution, especially in eight main coal zones," said An Huanxiao, the director of Shanxi provincial family planning agency. | |
'Prevention plan' | 'Prevention plan' |
Mr Jiang said a child was born with physical defects every 30 seconds because of the degrading environment. | |
Correspondents say the report suggests there is a human cost to China's rapid economic development. | Correspondents say the report suggests there is a human cost to China's rapid economic development. |
Researchers also blamed exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulates for the increase. | Researchers also blamed exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulates for the increase. |
"The number of newborns with birth defects is constantly increasing in both urban and rural areas," China Daily newspaper quoted Mr Jiang as saying. | |
"The rather alarming increase has forced us to kick off a high-level prevention plan." | "The rather alarming increase has forced us to kick off a high-level prevention plan." |
The commission had introduced a screening programme in the eight worst-affected provinces, Mr Jiang said. |
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