'Bizarre' Cluster of Severe Birth Defects Haunts Health Experts

[proverbialwisdom]

13. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen investigates an alarming cluster of babies born with birth defects in rural WA

http://enenews.com/cnn-horrible-medical-mystery-alarming-rate-of-birth-defects-in-washington-babies-missing-parts-of-brain-and-skull-mother-outraged-at-govt-inaction-affected-area-surrounds-most-pollu

CNN: “Horrible medical mystery… alarming rate of birth defects” in Washington — Babies missing parts of brain, skull — Mother outraged at gov’t — Nurse: “It’s very scary… absolutely something going on” — Cluster surrounds most polluted US nuclear site, yet never mentioned by media or officials (VIDEO)

Published: March 1st, 2014 at 9:52 pm ET
By ENENews

CNN, Mar. 1, 2014 (h/t Anonymous tip):

WATCH VIDEO HERE: http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/health/2014/02/26/ac-dnt-cohen-wa-birth-defects-cluster.cnn.html

What's behind cluster of birth defects?
Anderson Cooper 360|Added on February 26, 2014
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen investigates an alarming cluster of babies born with birth defects in rural Washington state.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN senior medical correspondent: Yakima Valley, Washington, a horrible medical mystery has unfolded — An alarming rate of birth defects. Sara Barron, a nurse in the region and was the first to report cases of anencephaly, babies born with much of their brain and skull missing.

Barron: “I was just stunned. 3 in a couple month period of time, that’s unheard of, and they’re such tragic, terrible outcomes.”

Cohen: Barron’s shocking discovery prompted an investigation by the state health department, which showed that in 3 counties, in a 3 year period, there were 23 cases of anencephaly, a rate 4 times the national average. (...)

Mandy Stahre, Washington State Health Department epidemiologist: “We have not found an answer, and that’s the very frustrating part because this is such a devastating diagnosis for a woman to have.” (...)

Cohen: The state hasn’t spoken to any of the families who had the babies with birth defects. Not a single one. (...) that outrages Andrea Jackman (...)

Andrea Jackman, baby born with spina bifida: “Nobody’s asked me anything. (...) What are you researching if you haven’t physically called the families to find out? What are you researching? (...) If it just happened to one person it could be random, but the fact that there’s so many different people that it’s happened to, there’s gotta be something that you can pinpoint that caused this.” (...)

Stahre: “We’re still trying to find what may be causing these. Were still investigating this. We’re not ruling anything out at this point (...) We’re considering just about everything at this point. (...) I don’t think (pregnant women should be worried).”

Cohen: But nurse Sara Barron isn’t so sure.

Barron: “I think it’s very scary. I think there’s absolutely something going on that needs to be investigated more thoroughly.”

CNN, Mar. 1, 2014: In her 30-year career as a nurse, Sara Barron had seen only two babies with anencephaly (...) in 2012, while working at a hospital in rural Washington state, she saw two cases in two months. (...) a birth defect that’s always fatal. (...) Was [the dad] exposed to any toxic chemicals? (...) Department of Health plans to report how many babies were born with neural tube defects in 2013. (...) “We’re still investigating this,” (Stahre) says. “This is nowhere near finished.”

Tri-City Herald, Feb. 27, 2014: A genetic counselor in Yakima said she’s reported ("8 or 9&quot additional cases of anencephaly and spina bifida since January 2013.

See also: "Worrisome" spike in deadly birth defects around leaking U.S. nuclear site -- Officials claim "it could be a complete coincidence" -- No news reports mention it's by the most contaminated area in Western Hemisphere #Hanford