Effects On Infant Mortality Rates
As the sea dries up the contaminants become exposed on the surface and enter into the soil while also being blown into the air. These environmental impacts have had wide ranging effects on health of local residents. Increases in the occurrence of many diseases and conditions have been noted and linked to the shrinking of the Aral. Facing the highest risk from exposure to contaminants and toxins are infants and children. This has contributed to an increasing infant mortality rate in the area. According to Newbold the infant mortality rate is defined as "the number of deaths of infants younger than one year of age per one thousand births."
Infant Mortality rates have been increasing in this region since the 70's, while elsewhere in the world it has generally been going down. For residents of the Aral sea region living there has led to high "exposure to industrial pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds and heavy metals but also to pesticides." This phenomenon leading to increased infant mortality rates has been reported as high as 70 in Kazakhstan as of 1993. Toxins can come from all sources including breathing them in from the air, drinking water, and food. However, a new baby does not have much choice about what to eat or drink. It has been found that these contaminants can be passed down through breast feeding and "in a number of areas the physicians recommend against breast feeding babies, as the nursing mothers milk is toxic."
As seen in Table 1, other surrounding countries and areas have also experienced an increase in infant mortality rates. Although there are many other factors that contribute to infant mortality rates, the environmental state in the area has a definite influence on increasing rates. When compared with developed countries these rates can illustrate differences in health care and access to health care between the areas.
Read more about this topic: Public Health Problems In The Aral Sea Region
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