泰晤士报 中国畸形儿激增污染难辞其究

中国29日承认出生缺陷数量的增加令人震惊，人们担心严重的污染在损害该国的儿童。

　　根据29日公布的数据，出现唇颚裂、手指脚趾畸形等缺陷的新生儿如今占每年新生儿的6%。而且天生残疾的婴儿数量自2001年以来上涨40%（这段时期和中国经济飞速增长的时期正好一致），达两三百万每年。孩童时期发育缺陷的多达1200万以上。

　　官方表示，国家人口和计划生育委员会报告的增长可能部分地反映农村地区数据收集的改进。此外，家庭在报告缺陷时不那么不情愿了，而在过去，由于觉得羞耻，家人会隐瞒缺陷。

　　但也有证据表明中国快速衰退的环境造成了不良影响。在该国煤炭资源丰富的地区，残疾婴儿的比率甚至更高。那些地区的采矿破坏了地貌，毒害了河流和村庄。在煤矿资源丰富的山西，计划生育机构主任安欢笑（音译，An Huanxiao）则更为确信这一点。“出生缺陷跟环境污染有关。调查的数据显示山西八大矿区的出生缺陷率远高于全国平均水平。”

　　计生委研究所主任李伟雄（音译，Li Weixiong）承认这是个问题，但他表示需要更多的研究才能搞清楚环境恶化与此的联系。全世界污染最严重的20座城市，中国占了16座。

　　该委员会报告说，在全国范围内，缺陷率从2001年的104.9/万人增加到2006年的145.5/万人。加上其他在出生几个月后才显现出来的缺陷及问题，这个数字上升到4%到6%。 当中30%会死去，40%成为残疾人。世界卫生组织估计，在全世界范围内，新生儿出生缺陷率在3%到5%之间。

　　中国新生儿缺陷的前五位是唇颚裂、神经管畸形、手指脚趾畸形、先天性心脏病和脑积水。目前尚不清楚哪一种跟水和空气污染有关。

　　官方新华社已经表示在山西省（中国污染最严重的四座城市就在山西省，而且该省是焦炭和化学产业有毒排放污的中心），婴儿唇颚裂、手指脚趾畸形发病率世界领先。据说营养不良和近亲结婚也是该省高缺陷率的原因。

　　北京努力在明年的奥运之前改善空气质量，并表示微粒含量高（有时是建议水平的三倍以上）是一个特别的关切。最近的世界银行报告显示每年大约有46万中国人因吸入污染空气和饮用不洁净水而早逝。（作者 Jane Macartney）

Pollution blamed as China confronts surge in number of deformed babies

Jane Macartney in Beijing

An alarming rise in birth defects was acknowledged by China yesterday, amid concern that heavy pollution is damaging the country’s children.

Babies born with conditions such as cleft palates and extra fingers and toes now account for up to 6 per cent of births each year, according to statistics published yesterday. And the number of babies born with disabilities has increased by 40 per cent since 2001 – a period that has coincided with China’s meteoric economic growth – to between two and three million a year. Up to 12 million more develop defects in childhood.

Officials said that the increase reported by the National Population and Family Planning Commission may, in part, reflect an improvement in the collection of data from rural areas. In addition, families were becoming less reluctant to report defects that in the past had been concealed out of shame.

But there was also evidence that China’s fast-decaying environment was taking its toll. The proportion of babies born with disabilities is even higher in the country’s coal-rich regions, where mining has devastated the landscape and poisoned rivers and valleys.

An Huanxiao, director of the family planning agency in the coal-rich northern province of Shanxi, had few doubts. “The incidence of birth defects is related to environmental pollution. The survey’s statistics show that birth defects in Shanxi’s eight large coalmining regions are far above the national average.”

Li Weixiong, director of the research institute at the commission, admitted that the issue was a concern, but he said that more research was needed to make a clearer link to environmental degradation. China is home to 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world.

Mr Li’s commission reported that, nationwide, the rate of defects has increased from 104.9 per 10,000 births in 2001 to 145.5 in 2006. When combined with other visible defects and problems that show up a few months after birth, this figure rises to between 4 and 6 per cent of all births. Of these 30 per cent would die and 40 per cent be disabled. The World Health Organisation estimates that between 3 and 5 per cent of children worldwide are born with birth defects.

The top five birth conditions among Chinese babies are cleft palate, neural tube defects, extra fingers or toes, congenital heart disease and water on the brain. It was not clear which, if any, could be linked to polluted water and air. Mr Li said: “We need time to carry out research on what kind of pollution may lead to which kind of defects.”

The official Xinhua news agency has said that Shanxi, home to four of the most polluted cities in China and a centre of noxious emissions from coke and chemical industries, leads the world for incidence of cleft palates and extra fingers among babies. Poor nutrition and marriage between close relatives in Shanxi are also cited as reasons for the high number of such defects in the province.

Beijing is struggling to improve its air quality before next year’s Olympics and has said that high levels of small particulate matter - sometimes more than three times the recommended level – are a particular concern.

A recent World Bank study showed about 460,000 Chinese die prematurely each year from breathing polluted air and drinking dirty water.

Cause for concern

— China contributes 16 per cent of the world total of carbon dioxide emissions, the second-highest after the US at 22 per cent

— Linfen, in Shanxi province, is the most polluted city in the world. China’s second and third-most polluted cities are also in Shanxi

— Approximately 6,300 babies with birth defects are born in England each year, equivalent to one in every 90 births

— Not all births are monitored, figures are therefore estimates and the ONS acknowledges the possibility of underreporting

— The most common birth defects in Britain are cardiovascular anomalies, talipes (club foot), hypospadias and epispadias (genital abnormalities), cleft lips, cleft palates, central nervous system anomalies and Down’s syndrome