In a state that could decide the election, fracking is far more than just a political issue November 1, 2024

The 19th News

The public health stakes are high. There are dozens of studies that have examined the impact fracking has on human health, according to Ned Ketyer, a retired pediatrician and president of the Pennsylvania chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. One from 2022 found that pregnant people within 6 miles of a fracked gas well had an increased risk of having a baby born at a low birth weight or preterm. Other studies have linked fracking to issues with fetal development, including babies being born with congenital heart defects. Pregnant people are also at higher risk of developing preeclampsia, high blood pressure that can be a dangerous pregnancy complication, if they live near a fracked gas well.

…“The people who are most impacted by the pollution and the waste from fracking appear to be women and children, especially pregnant women,” Ketyer said. “That’s not surprising. That’s what you see with any environmental health risk.”