A rise in birth defects in the Iraqi city of Falluja could have been caused by weaponry used in U.S. assaults that took place six years ago, a report says.
The report, to be published next week in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, highlights a major rise in cancers and chronic neurological, cardiac and skeletal defects in newborns at close to 11 times higher than normal rates, The Guardian newspaper in London reported Friday.
The report focused on metals as potential contaminating agents afflicting the city, especially among pregnant mothers.
"Metals are involved in regulating genome stability," it says. "As environmental effectors, metals are potentially good candidates to cause birth defects."
There is speculation the defects are caused by depleted uranium rounds, heavily used in two large battles in the city in April and November 2004. Many military and militia forces use the rounds, containing ionising radiation.
However, scientists are split on the possible danger posed by the rounds, with some claiming they leave behind a toxic residue, while others say depleted uranium has been proven not to be a contaminant.
Other battlefield residues may also be responsible for the jump in defects, the report acknowledges.
"Many known war contaminants have the potential to interfere with normal embryonic and fetal development," it says.