Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35226693›Full record

ArticlePloS one2022

Perinatal mortality after the Fukushima nuclear accident: An ecological study.

Alfred Körblein

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Alfred KörbleinUntere Söldnersgasse 8, Nürnberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7339-8652

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study continues former studies on perinatal mortality in Japan after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011. An increased study region is chosen, and the study period is extended to 2019.

methodsJapanese monthly perinatal mortality data are provided on a prefecture level by the Japanese government. The study region consists of 12 prefectures around the FDNPP; the rest of Japan is used as the control region. A combined non-linear regression of perinatal mortality rates in the study- and control regions is conducted. The regression model allows for a common asymptotic lower limit of perinatal mortality, seasonal variations, and periodic peaks in 2012-2019 in the study region. To determine the dependency of the effect on distance from the FDNPP, the study region is divided into four core prefectures and eight prefectures surrounding the core prefectures.

resultsPerinatal mortality rates in the study region show a significant 6.4% (95% CI: 1.8%, 13.4%) overall increase in 2012-2019 relative to the trend in preceding years with no attenuation during 2012-19. The increase translates to 590 (165, 1226) excess perinatal deaths (p = 0.016). It is characterized by annual peaks with maxima in April. A 13.6% increase is determined in the four core prefectures and a 4.3% increase in eight prefectures surrounding the core prefectures. Before 2012, there is a peak around April 2011 and a decline in October 2011; another significant peak is detected in November 2012. In the 4 core prefectures, large increases are found in the first quarter of 2018 (+70%) and in May 2019 (+130%).

conclusionThis study finds periodic peaks in perinatal mortality in spring 2012-2019 in 12 prefectures of Japan surrounding the FDNPP. In light of massive increases in 2018 and 2019 in the four core prefectures, continued investigation of perinatal mortality in contaminated regions of Japan is recommended.

Indexed as

Fukushima Nuclear AccidentPerinatal MortalityFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornJapanPregnancySeasons

Identifiers

PMID35226693
PMCPMC8884545

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.