17 Rongelap. Duringthat year the health aide was visited frequently for upper respiratory infections (nearly everyonehad at least one cold during the group are compared with those in the unexposed group in Tables 3 and 4. Since any radiation-induced genetic imperfections that might result in nonviable offspring might be present in the germ plasm of the father as well as the mother, two unexposed women mated to exposed men are included in the exposed group. Four children born year). Gastroenteritis was also a frequent complaint. REVIEW OF DATA ON MORTALITY AND PREGNANCY TERMINATION OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS in 1954 were excluded from thelist because they had been conceived before the accident. Table 3 and Figure 10 show the yearly incidence oflive births and miscarriages and the sex of babies born of womenofchild-bearing agein the exposed and unexposed groups. Underthe Mortality The four deaths that have occurredin the exposed Rongelap people duringthespast. 6 years . give an annualrate of8.1 per 1000 population. The Marshall Islands annualrate is reported as 6.8 per 1000. The unexposed Rongelap population has had four deaths also, which gives a rate of 8.3 per 1000. These figures do not includefetal and infant mortality. The people of Utirik Island, whoreceived about 14 r of radiation in the 1954 category of miscarriages are includedstillbirths and babies dying 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 data on pregnancy terminations, summarizedin Table 4, also show an increased incidence of mis- accident, have showna deathrate ofabout 10to 11 per 1000 population. Their population has varied between 160 and 213 people since the event. carriage in the exposed group. The birth rate in the Marshall Islands in 1957 was 37.3 per 1000 population. The 24 live births During 1958 six miscarriages andstillbirths were recorded in the exposed group, but none was reported in this group for 1959. Only one was reported for each of these years in the unexposed women. Pregnancy terminations in the exposed z cs, Pregnancy Terminations 100 F 90 + 80 Table 4 TO + % Exposed children Womenwith miscarriages* but no live births Women with no recorded pregnancies Women with 1 or more miscarriages Womenwith 2 or more miscarriages Pregnancies terminating in miscarriages PERCENT Summary of Pregnancy Termination Data, Rongelap Exposed (1954-1959) and Rongelap Unexposed (1956-1959) Womengivingbirth to living T %‘oO Unexposed 64 66 18 11 18 22 41 28 60 T T T | t 4 \ \ ---- EXPOSED UNEXPOSED \ \ = MiSC / TOTAL' PREGNANCIES \ \ \ \ \ J 3/5 \ an \ \ \ 50 -40 F- / \ 2/6 \ 30 + f \ \ / f / 4 \ \ / / 2/8 2/8 7 \ 6/14 ‘ \ 1/4 \ 4 4 \ 46 lO oO 5 \ Ve 20 + 1954 T t/I \ i l 1 1 i 55 56 57 58 59 EXPOSURE \ 4 a \ \0/5 60 YEAR 14 11 35 23 Figure 10. Incidence of miscarriages andstillbirths in *Includes _ first few hours after birth. living only a few hours after birth. Data on unexposed women are incomplete prior to 1956. exposed Rongelap women. Stillbirths include babies