Identification of the Areas at Risk of Congenital Malformations at the Macroregional Level

Introduction: The incidence of congenital anomalies is associated with a combination of exogenous and endogenous factors influencing development.

Objective: To identify the areas at risk of congenital anomalies in children associated with air pollution using spatial analysis.

Materials and Methods: To characterize ambient air pollution in 23 regions of the Asian part of Russia, we used data collected by the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet) for the years 2017–2023 on air quality indices (AQI) and exceedances of the maximum acceptable benzo(a)pyrene level. Incidence rates of congenital anomalies in children aged 0–14 years were retrieved from statistical bulletins of the Russian Ministry of Health, and the size of the exposed population was used. This multi-stage study was conducted using methods of descriptive statistics, as well as correlation, regression and cluster analysis.

Results: We found statistically significant correlations between ambient benzo(a)pyrene levels, AQI, and the incidence of congenital malformations of the nervous system in children. The cluster with the high incidence rates of congenital nervous system malformations included six regions noted for high and very high levels of ambient air pollution (AQI ranging from 10 to 18), extremely high airborne concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene (32 to 74-fold excess of MAC), and high proportions of exposed population (38–77 %), namely the Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Tyva, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Kemerovo Region, Transbaikal Territory, and the Republic of Buryatia.

Conclusions: The multi-stage analysis identified areas at risk of congenital malformations in children in the Asian part of Russia. Based on the results of correlation and cluster analyses, measures aimed at improving environmental conditions are essential in six regions with high and very high air pollution and airborne benzo(a)pyrene levels as they will contribute to reducing the incidence of congenital anomalies and neurodevelopmental defects in offspring.

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