Pregnancy Screening to Detect Signs of AO

Prenatal diagnosis measures for Agent Orange/dioxin victims should receive more investment to minimize the number of babies born with deformities, experts said at a conference to tackle the issue in dioxin-contaminated hotspots on Jan 11.According to Le Ke Son, deputy general director of the Viet Nam Environment Administration, during the 10 years from 1961, the US Army sprayed more than 18.2 million gallons of Agent Orange (AO) onto more than 10 per cent of the land in southern Viet Nam.It is estimated that more than 4.8 million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin. Many of the victims have died, while millions of their descendants are living with deformities and diseases due to the effects of AO.Nguyen Thi Luyen, secretariat deputy chief for the program studying after-effects of AO/dioxin exposure said there are 22,000-30,000 babies born annually with deformities, accounting for approximately 2 per cent of the total newborns. Among them, the rate of disabled babies born to descendants of dioxin victims is 63 per cent higher than those whose parents are not exposed to AO.Descendants of AO victims suffer 17 AO-related defects where deformities in the bones make up 42 per cent and Down syndrome 16 per cent. The rate of inborn deformities in the first child of AO victims is higher than the second.Meanwhile, the rate of pregnancy abnormalities in people exposed to AO is 15.6 per cent higher than those who were not.Based on these statistics, experts suggested the government provide more investment for prenatal diagnosis technologies and form co-operation between hospitals and gene laboratories in conducting prenatal tests.Then, timely treatment should be given to those detected with AO-related defects, they said.It is also necessary to build prenatal diagnosis centers in the cities of Danang and Bien Hoa as well as implement the programs to improve people's knowledge about prevention from being exposed to AO in hotspots, especially in the neighboring areas of Bien Hoa and Danang airports.The government, in co-ordination with organizations, has been conducting community-based rehabilitation programs with a view to ensuring quality services and help for all victims and their descendants. (Vietnam News Jan 12)