Abstract
We conducted an observational study of 194 pregnant women from two different study sites in rural Cambodia. Socioeconomic and anthropometric data was obtained from the women and their newborns. In addition, we collected blood and urine samples from the women for further analyses in planned papers. There were significant differences between the two study groups for clinical outcomes. The mothers from the poorer area were shorter and weighed less at the time of inclusion. Their babies had significantly smaller head circumferences and a lower ponderal index. Conclusion: There are significant anthropometric differences between women and their newborns from two separate study sites in Cambodia. Possible associations between stunting and exposure to Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS) as organochlorines and toxic trace elements will be investigated in future studies.
Highlights
Cambodia is a small country in South East Asia with a population of about 16 million people
Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS) as organochlorines and toxic trace elements will be investigated in future studies
The aim of this study is to determine the pregnancy outcome, socioeconomic background, and anthropometric data possibly associated with the level of some selected chemical and toxic hazards among pregnant women and their offspring in two rural communities in Cambodia
Summary
Cambodia is a small country in South East Asia with a population of about 16 million people. It is ranked as a low-income country. The Khmer Rouge regime ruled the country from 1975 to 1979, and even though the rice harvests were abundant during these years, the crops were mainly exported, and an unknown number of people died of starvation and illnesses. A devastating civil war raged for almost 20 years following the Vietnamese invasion in 1979, forcing thousands of people into internal displacement. Landmines and unexploded ordnances (UXOs), remnants from more than 60 years of war and conflicts, still threaten the rural population and make cultivation and farming a perilous activity. Poisonous leakage enters groundwater and soil and contributes to invisible health hazards
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