Rongelap. During that year the health aide was group are compared with those in the unexposed group in Tables 3 and +. Since any radiation-in- visited frequently-fom4spper respiratoryinfections (nearly everyone had at least one cold during the year). Gastroenteritis was also a frequent complaint. duced genetic imperfections that might result in nonviable offspring might be present in the germ plasm of the father as well as the mother, two un- “REVIEW OF DATA ON MORTALITY ~AND PREGNANCY TERMINATION OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS in 1954 were excluded from the list because they had been conceived before the accident. Table 3 and Figure 10 show the yearly incidence of live births and miscarriages and the sex of babies born of women of child-bearing age in the exposed and unexposed groups. Under the categoryof miscarriages are included stillbirths and babies dving a few hours after birth. It was unfortunate that in most cases it was not possible for physicians to inspect the products of miscarriage. Figure 10, a plot of the percentage incidence of miscarriage in the two groups, indicates thatit is somewhat greater in the exposed group. The Mortality The four deaths that have occurred in the exposed Rongelap people during the past 6 years give an annual rate of 8.1 per 1000 population. The Marshall Islands annual rate is reported as 6.8 per 1900. The unexposed Rongelap population has had four deaths also, which gives a rate of 8.3 per LO00. These figures do not include fetal and infant mortality. The people of Utirik Island, who received about 14r of radiation in the 1954 data on pregnancy terminations, summarized in > accident, have shown a death rate of about !Oto11 Table +, also show an increased incidence of miscarriage in the exposed group. ° The birth rate in the Marshall Islands in 1957 was 37.3 per 1000 population. The 24 live births per 1000 population. Their population has varied between 160 and 213 people since the event. Pregnancy Terminations During 1958 six miscarriages and stillbirths were recorded in the exposed group, but none was T reported in this group for 1959. Only one wasreported for each of these years in the unexposed lOO Ff women. Pregnancy terminations in the exposed T \ 4 ~--+- EXPOSED \ UNEXPOSED \ To Exposed Women giving birth to living children Women with miscarriages* but no live births Women with no recorded pregnancies Women with 1 or more miscarriages Women with ? or more miscarriages Pregnancies terminating in miscarriages % Unexposed \ \ \ \ 60 4 3/5 \ 50 + . \ 40 F- \ \ / \ 64 66 18 11 18 99 41 28 t4 il 35 23 *Includes children dying first few hours after birth. 20 - \ , W | | / f f 4 \ “ 4 4 \ /7. e/a 4 \ 6/14 \ 2/6 / \ 30 + 19 4 MISC / TOTAL’ PREGNANCIES \ 70 PERCENT ® \ gob Summary of Pregnancy Termination Data, Rongelap Exposed (1954-1959) and Rongelap Unexposed (1956-1959) T ‘ 90 + Table 4 T 1/1 2/8 1/4 \\ | \ \ 146 45 \ \ . o \ Oo i954 ' i 55 EXPOSURE 56 57 YEAR 58 L 59 Vor 60 Figure 10. Incidence of miscarriages and stillbirths in exposed Rongelap women. Stillbirths include babies living only a fewhours after birth. Data on unexposed women are incomplete prior to 1956. Sy nee Tg Ter meet ~~, exposed women mated to exposed men are included in the exposed group. Four children born ¥