Chronic Arsenic Exposure and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND: Chronic exposure to arsenic through drinking water has the potential to cause adverse pregnancy outcomes, although the association has not been demonstrated conclusively. This cross-sectional study assessed the association between arsenic in drinking water and spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and neonatal death. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 533 women were interviewed. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, drinking water use, and adverse pregnancy outcomes was obtained through a structured pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The respondents reported use of a total of 223 tube wells; for 208 wells, water samples were measured using an ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry method, whereas 15 were measured by flow-injection hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (FIHG-AAS). RESULTS: Excess risks for spontaneous abortion and stillbirth were observed among the participants chronically exposed…