Direct potable reuse and birth defects prevalence in Texas: An augmented synthetic control method analysis of data from a population-based birth defects registry.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Direct potable reuse (DPR) involves adding purified wastewater that has not passed through an environmental buffer into a water distribution system. DPR may help address water shortages and is approved or is under consideration as a source of drinking water for several water-stressed population centers in the United States, however, there are no studies of health outcomes in populations who receive DPR drinking water. Our objective was to determine whether the introduction of DPR for certain public water systems in Texas was associated with changes in birth defect prevalence.

Methods

We obtained data on maternal characteristics for all live births and birth defects cases regardless of pregnancy outcome in Texas from 2003 to 2017 from the Texas Birth Defects Regist

SUBMITTER: Schraw JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11008670 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature