Residents of the Texas border town of Brownsville, and its nearby Mexican counterpart Matamoros, have seen an alarmingly high number of
birth defects over the last two decades. Many residents and experts place blame on the polluted Rio Grande River that runs between the two areas. Others cite the factories that line the Mexican side of the border. Many of these companies relocated to Mexico where they could escape strict American environmental controls. According to researchers who have studied the situation for several years, the exact cause remains a mystery.
Spina bifida is the most common birth defect found in Matamoros while
anencephaly (in which a child is born without a brain) and neural tube birth defects (where the
spinal cord and
brain do not develop properly) were more common in Brownsville. Researchers are further baffled by the timing of many of the birth defects. In 1982, 1991 and 1998 there were higher numbers of children born with these conditions than in any other years. While the cause could be hereditary, researchers report that nearly every pesticide and chemical known to man can be found in the area's natural environment. While today there is no direct proof linking the chemicals to the birth defects, suspicion remains understandable high.
See your doctor if you live in this area and you have experienced serious health problems. In addition, it may be important to
contact an attorney who can help you protect your legal rights. Please keep in mind that there may be
time limits within which you must commence suit.
See Also
- Specific Contaminated Sites
- Anencephaly: Overview
- Birth Defects
- Spina Bifida: Overview