Air pollution exposure may up risk of preterm birth

Exposure to high levels of small particle air pollution is associated with an increased risk of premature birth, a study has found. Researchers at the US Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre and the University of Cincinnati, identified a 19% increased risk, with the greatest risk when exposed to air pollution during the third trimester of pregnancy.

"Decreasing the amount of particulate matter in the air below the US Environmental Protection Agency's standard threshold could decrease preterm birth in women exposed to high levels of small particulates by about 17%, which corresponds to a 2.22% decrease in the preterm birth rate in the population as a whole," said Emily DeFranco, a professor.

The researchers studied birth records in Ohio between 2007 and 2010. The population included nearly 225,000 singleton live births. Of these, more than 19,000 births were preterm, that is birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The birth records were linked to average daily measures of fine particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in width. The majority of births, 97%, occurred in highly urbanised areas.


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