Birth defects climb with pollution

Birth defects in Chinese infants have risen nearly 40 percent since 2001, according to a report published by the Chinese government. The primary cause for the increase is pollution, officials say.

In 2001, birth defects showed up in 104.9 out of 10,000 births, whereas in 2006 the ratio jumped to 145.5 per 10,000 births. Last year, nearly one in ten families were affected by birth defects, China's National Population and Family Planning Commission says.

Based on last year's figures, about 4 to 6 percent of the total number of children born every year have birth defects, the family planning agency said. About 30 percent of these would die and 40 percent would remain disabled throughout their lives.

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that globally, about 3 to 5 percent of children are born with birth defects.

Pollution seems to play an important role in the birth defect rate. In China, the highest number of birth defects is registered in Shanxi, a hub for coal and chemical industries.

About 2 to 3 million babies with visible defects are born in China every year, the report says. Another 8 to 12 million children develop defects later on. Birth defects are also more common in poor, rural areas, and regions with "high rates of illness," the report states.

Environmental degradation is a growing problem in China, where an estimated 460,000 Chinese die each year from breathing polluted air and drinking dirty water, according to a World Bank study.

Although China has stepped up efforts to control pollution ahead of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, the country's growing demand for energy continues to undermine environmental protection initiatives.