Canadian study links living near hydraulic-fracturing wells before and during pregnancy to poor birth outcomes

Hydraulic-fracturing wells in relation to
communities in Alberta, 2013-2018
(University of Calgary map)

A newly published study adds to growing evidence that living near hydraulic fracturing wells can harm infants and children. University of Calgary researchers studied nearly 35,000 pregnancies in rural Alberta from 2013 to 2018, and found that people who lived within 10 kilometers of 100 or more fracking sites in the year before getting pregnant were significantly more likely to give birth to infants who were premature and/or small for their gestational age.

"Past studies conducted in California and Pennsylvania have linked exposure to fracking sites and risk of spontaneous preterm birth," Lei Lei Wu reports for MedPage Today. "In addition, previous U.S. studies have suggested that living near fracking sites is associated with greater risk of mortality among the elderly, as well as heightened risk of heart failure.

Several factors could explain the link between fracking wells and adverse birth outcomes, the researchers said. "The quality of water and air may be lower near fracking sites due to contamination and the constant activity of heavy trucks, they noted, adding that around 90% of rural Albertans rely on groundwater for drinking," Wu reports. "They also noted that of the 240 chemicals in fracking fluids with toxicity information available, 103 are linked to reproductive toxicity."