Incidence of spontaneous abortion in Bahrain before and after the Gulf War of 1991

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of spontaneous abortions in the 5 years before and 5 years after the Gulf War of 1991 and to explore the possible causes that may have affected these changes. To analyze the clinical types, associated medical problems, morbidity, length of hospital stay and mortality rate of abortions. DESIGN: Retrospective study for the period starting on 1 January 1987-31 December 1996. SUBJECTS: The study involved 14,850 cases of abortions admitted into Salmaniya Medical complex during this period. SETTING: The Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) is the main referral hospital in Bahrain. METHODS: Analysis of medical records of patients admitted with diagnosis of abortion during this period. RESULTS: By comparing the incidence of abortions in the 5 years before (1 January 1987-31 December 1991) and the 5 years after (1 January 1992-31 December 1996) the Gulf War a significant rise was observed--starting from 1992, reaching a peak in 1994, which then began to decline in 1996. CONCLUSION: Several published reports from Iraq, Kuwait and now from Bahrain are suggestive of an increase in the incidence of abortion and adverse outcome of pregnancy after the Gulf War of 1991. The mechanism is not clear, i.e. whether this is affected by toxicity acquired through the food chain, the oil spillage, smoke pollution resulting from the burning of the Kuwaiti oil fields or stress and anxiety caused by the war.