nitrogen-dioxide and Premature-Birth

This review systematically assessed those studies investigating the association between air pollution and birth outcomes using land use regression (LUR) models for exposure assessment. Fifty-four studies were identified which were published between 2007 and 2019. Most of these were conducted in America, Spain and Canada, while only five were conducted in China. One hundred and ninety-seven LUR models were developed for different pollutants. The main pollutants that these studies assessed were NO

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Male; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Regression Analysis

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Female; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Sulfur Dioxide

Low birth weight and preterm birth have a substantial public health impact. Studies examining their association with outdoor air pollution were identified using searches of bibliographic databases and reference lists of relevant papers. Pooled estimates of effect were calculated, heterogeneity was quantified, meta-regression was conducted and publication bias was examined. Sixty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies reported reduced birth weight and increased odds of low birth weight in relation to exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) and particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 microns (PM(10) and PM(2.5)). Effect estimates based on entire pregnancy exposure were generally largest. Pooled estimates of decrease in birth weight ranged from 11.4 g (95% confidence interval -6.9-29.7) per 1 ppm CO to 28.1g (11.5-44.8) per 20 ppb NO(2), and pooled odds ratios for low birth weight ranged from 1.05 (0.99-1.12) per 10 μg/m(3) PM(2.5) to 1.10 (1.05-1.15) per 20 μg/m(3) PM(10) based on entire pregnancy exposure. Fewer effect estimates were available for preterm birth and results were mixed. Pooled odds ratios based on 3rd trimester exposures were generally most precise, ranging from 1.04 (1.02-1.06) per 1 ppm CO to 1.06 (1.03-1.11) per 20 μg/m(3) PM(10). Results were less consistent for ozone and sulfur dioxide for all outcomes. Heterogeneity between studies varied widely between pollutants and outcomes, and meta-regression suggested that heterogeneity could be partially explained by methodological differences between studies. While there is a large evidence base which is indicative of associations between CO, NO(2), PM and pregnancy outcome, variation in effects by exposure period and sources of heterogeneity between studies should be further explored.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Birth Weight; Carbon Monoxide; Female; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Regression Analysis

Previous studies have observed associations between birth weight and prenatal air pollution exposure, but there is not consensus on timing of critical windows of susceptibility.. We estimated the difference in birth weight among preterm, early term and full term births associated with weekly exposure to PM. We included all singleton live births in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (United States) between 2007 and 2012 occurring at or after 32 weeks gestational age (n = 497,897). Weekly ambient PM. In single-pollutant models, a 5 μg/m. We observed the largest and most persistent adverse associations between PM

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Long-term exposure to air pollution is known to be harmful to preterm birth (PTB), but little is known about the short-term effects. This study aims to quantify the short-term effect of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM. A total of 18,826 singleton PTBs were collected during the study period. Poisson regression model combined with the distributed lag non-linear model was applied to evaluate the short-term effects of PTBs and air pollutants.. Maternal exposure to NO

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Premature Birth

Preterm birth (PTB) identifies infants prematurely born <37 weeks/gestation and is one of the main causes of infant mortality. PTB has been linked to air pollution exposure, but its timing is still unclear and neglects the acute nature of delivery and its association with short-term effects. We analyzed 3 years of birth data (2015−2017) in Turin (Italy) and the relationships with proinflammatory chemicals (PM2.5, O3, and NO2) and biological (aeroallergens) pollutants on PTB vs. at-term birth, in the narrow window of a week before delivery. A tailored non-stationary Poisson model correcting for seasonality and possible confounding variables was applied. Relative risk associated with each pollutant was assessed at any time lag between 0 and 7 days prior to delivery. PTB risk was significantly associated with increased levels of both chemical (PM2.5, RR = 1.023 (1.003−1.043), O3, 1.025 (1.001−1.048)) and biological (aeroallergens, RR ~ 1.01 (1.0002−1.016)) pollutants in the week prior to delivery. None of these, except for NO2 (RR = 1.01 (1.002−1.021)), appeared to play any role on at-term delivery. Pollutant-induced acute inflammation eliciting delivery in at-risk pregnancies may represent the pathophysiological link between air pollution and PTB, as testified by the different effects played on PTB revealed. Further studies are needed to better elucidate a possible exposure threshold to prevent PTB.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Despite many efforts, preterm birth (PTB) is poorly understood and remains a major public health problem in the United States. Toxicological work suggests gestational parent (GP) diet may modify the effect of ambient pollutants on birth outcomes. We assessed risk of PTB in humans in relation to fine particulate matter (PM. 684 GP-singleton infant pairs in the Newborn Epigenetics Study prospective birth cohort were attributed ambient air pollutant exposures for each trimester based on residence. Total energy intake, percent of energy intake from saturated fat, and percent of energy intake from total fat were dichotomized at the 75th percentile. >We used log binomial regressions to estimate risk ratios (RR (95%CI)) for PTB by pollutant interquartile ranges, adjusting for GP age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, GP race/ethnicity, GP education, season of conception, household income, and each diet factor. We assessed departure from additivity using interaction contrast ratios (ICRs). We addressed missing covariate data with multiple imputation.. Point estimates suggest that O. While confidence intervals are wide, we observed potential modification of pollutant associations by dietary factors. It is imperative that large cohorts collect the required data to examine this topic, as more power is necessary to investigate the nuances suggested by this work.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Energy Intake; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prospective Studies

There is minimal evidence of relationships between maternal air pollution exposure and spontaneous premature rupture of membranes (SPROM), a critical obstetrical problem that can significantly increase maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. No prior study has explored the PROM risk related to specific components of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 2.5 µm (PM. A large retrospective cohort study was conducted and included 427,870 singleton live births from Kaiser Permanente Southern California during 2008-2018. Monthly averages of NO. There were 37,857 SPROM cases (8.8%) in our study population. We observed relationships between SPROM and maternal exposure to NO. Our findings add to the literature on associations between air pollution exposure and SPROM. This is the first study reporting the impact of PM

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Bayes Theorem; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Female; Humans; Maternal Exposure; Nitrates; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies

Although there is growing awareness of the relationship between air pollution and preterm birth, limited data exist regarding the relationship with spontaneous preterm birth and severe neonatal outcomes.. This study aimed to examine the association between traffic-associated air pollution exposure in pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes including extremes of preterm birth, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, low birthweight, neonatal respiratory diagnosis, neonatal respiratory support, and neonatal sepsis evaluation.. This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies of patients residing in a metropolitan area in the southern United States. Using monitors strategically located across the region, average nitrogen dioxide concentrations were obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System database. For patients living within 10 miles of a monitoring station, average exposure to nitrogen dioxide was estimated for individual patients' pregnancy by trimester. Logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of pollutant exposure on gestational age at birth, indicated vs spontaneous delivery, and neonatal outcomes while adjusting for maternal age, self-reported race, parity, season of conception, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, registered Health Equity Index, and nitrogen dioxide monitor region. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for an interquartile increase in average nitrogen dioxide exposure.. Between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2021, 93,164 patients delivered a singleton infant. Of these, 62,189 had measured nitrogen dioxide exposure during the pregnancy from a nearby monitoring station. Higher average nitrogen dioxide exposure throughout pregnancy was significantly associated with preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.77-2.12) and an increase in neonatal intensive care unit admissions, low birthweight infants, neonatal respiratory diagnosis, neonatal respiratory support, and neonatal sepsis evaluation. This relationship persisted for nulliparous patients and spontaneous preterm birth, and had a greater association with earlier preterm birth.. In a metropolitan area, increased exposure to the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide in pregnancy was associated with spontaneous preterm birth and had a greater association with extremely preterm birth. A greater association with neonatal intensive care unit admissions, low-birthweight infants, neonatal respiratory diagnosis, neonatal respiratory support, and neonatal sepsis evaluation was found even in term infants.

Topics: Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Extremely Premature; Infant, Newborn; Neonatal Sepsis; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies

Neonatal mortality and morbidity are often caused by preterm birth and lower birth weight. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational hypertension (GH) are the most prevalent maternal medical complications during pregnancy. However, evidence on effects of air pollution on adverse birth outcomes and pregnancy complications is mixed. Singleton live births conceived between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2015, and reached at least 27 weeks of pregnancy in Kansas were included in the study. Trimester-specific and total pregnancy exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Diabetes, Gestational; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced; Infant, Newborn; Kansas; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Exposure to air pollution is associated with increased risks of several adverse conditions in newborns, such as preterm birth. Whether air pollution is associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia remains unclear. We aimed to develop and validate an air-quality-based model to better predict neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.. A multicenter, population-based cohort of neonates with a gestational age (GA) ≥35 weeks and birth weight ≥2000 g was enrolled in the study. The study was conducted in Shanghai, China, from July 2017 to December 2018. The daily average concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameters≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) and ≤10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO. A total of 11196 neonates were evaluated. Prenatal PM10, CO and NO. The findings of this study suggest that ambient air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Our results encourage further exploration of this possibility in future studies.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Child; China; Female; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia, Neonatal; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Air pollution and previous abortion have been reported to be related to preterm birth (PTB). But rare study examined the effect of air pollution on PTB risk among mothers with previous abortion.. To estimate the effect of air pollution on PTB and the potential effect modification of previous abortion on such an association in rural part of Henan province (China).. Based on National Free Preconception Health Examination Project (NFPHEP), information from the medical records of 57,337 mothers with previous abortion were obtained. An inverse distance-weighted model was used to estimate exposure levels of air pollutants. The effect of air pollution on the risk of PTB was estimated with a multiple logistic regression model. Stratified and interaction analyses were undertaken to explore the potential effect modification of previous abortion on this association.. The risk of PTB was positively associated with exposure to levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO. The risk of PTB was positively associated with levels of NO

Topics: Abortion, Induced; Abortion, Spontaneous; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Preterm birth (PTB) has been associated with exposure to air pollution, but it is unclear whether effects might vary among air pollution sources in a valley city, and yet few studies have investigated refined susceptible windows for PTB. We performed a retrospective birth cohort study in Yan'an city, a typical valley city in the west of China, and analyze the effects of air pollutants on premature delivery, identify critical windows for maternal air pollutants exposure and PTB. The pregnant women who gave birth in the Affiliated Hospital of Yan'an University and Yan'an people's Hospital from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 were selected as the research objects. A questionnaire survey and medical records were conducted. The daily average concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Birth Cohort; China; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Sulfur Dioxide

Infants born preterm are at risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Preterm birth (PTB) can be categorized as either spontaneous (sPTB) or medically indicated (mPTB), resulting from distinct pathophysiologic processes such as preterm labor or preeclampsia, respectively. A growing body of literature has demonstrated the impacts of nitrogen dioxide (NO

Topics: Benzene; Female; Hospitals; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Nitrogen Dioxide; Philadelphia; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Assessments of health and environmental effects of clean air and climate policies have revealed substantial health benefits due to reductions in air pollution, but have included few pediatric outcomes or assessed benefits at the neighborhood level.. We estimated benefits across a suite of child health outcomes in 42 New York City (NYC) neighborhoods under the proposed regional Transportation and Climate Initiative. We also estimated their distribution across racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups.. The benefits varied widely over the different cap-and-investment scenarios. For a 25% reduction in carbon emissions from 2022 to 2032 and a strategy prioritizing public transit investments, NYC would have an estimated 48 fewer medical visits for childhood asthma, 13,000 avoided asthma exacerbations not requiring medical visits, 640 fewer respiratory illnesses unrelated to asthma, and 9 avoided adverse birth outcomes (infant mortality, preterm birth, and term low birth weight) annually, starting in 2032. The total estimated annual avoided costs are $22 million. City-wide, Black and Hispanic children would experience 1.7 times the health benefits per capita than White and Non-Hispanic White children, respectively. Under the same scenario, neighborhoods experiencing the highest poverty rates in NYC would experience about 2.5 times the health benefits per capita than the lowest poverty neighborhoods.. A cap-and-invest strategy to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector could provide substantial health and monetized benefits to children in NYC through reductions in criteria pollutant concentrations, with greater benefits among Black and Hispanic children.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Asthma; Carbon; Child; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; New York City; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Policy; Premature Birth

The aim of the study is to develop a method for early diagnosis of intrauterine infection (IUI). A study of markers of inflammation in the venous blood of 60 pregnant women was conducted. The study was followed by a retrospective assessment of the outcomes of pregnancies and childbirth. Of these, 33 patients with a gestation period of more than 37 weeks (full-term pregnancy) and, accordingly, 27 patients from whom the blood sample was taken at a period of less than 37 weeks - patients with the threat of premature birth (PB). PB is the main factor contributing to the development of IUI. 27 patients were diagnosed with premature rupture of the membranes (PROM). Of these, 15 are with the threat of PB. 8 of them had a diagnosed IUI. In all cases of diagnosed PROM, including those with IUI, the concentration of nitrite and nontiolate nitroso compounds (NO2-+RNO) in the mother's blood plasma was 2.3±1.2 µM, while normally it does not exceed 0.1 µM (p<0.001). Regardless of the duration of pregnancy. The use of antibiotics in the case of PROM contributed to the normalization of the concentration (NO2-+RNO). Therefore, increasing of this indicator is result of bacterial infection. Indications of other markers of inflammation: the number of leukocytes in venous blood and in a smear of vaginal contents, the level of C-RB did not significantly change in both PROM and IUI (p>0.1). Since the concentration index (NO2-+RNO) increased in almost all cases of PREM, unlike all other clinical and biochemical indicators used in modern medicine, there is an obvious sense of its use for the current monitoring of the health of pregnant women. But it is still impossible to say unequivocally about the possibility of monitoring the fetal health by concentration (NO2-+RNO) in the mother's blood.

Topics: Communicable Diseases; Female; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture; Humans; Inflammation; Nitrites; Nitrogen Dioxide; Nitroso Compounds; Plasma; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies

Women with type 1 diabetes have increased risk for poor obstetric outcomes. Prenatal air pollution exposure is also associated with adverse outcomes for women and infants. We examined whether women with type 1 diabetes are more vulnerable than other women to pollution-associated risks during pregnancy.. In singleton deliveries from the Consortium on Safe Labor (2002-2008), obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared for women with type 1 diabetes (n = 507) and women without autoimmune disease (n = 204,384). Preconception, trimester, and whole pregnancy average air pollutant exposure (ozone (O. For whole pregnancy exposure to SO. Pregnant women with type 1 diabetes may be at greater risk for adverse outcomes when exposed to air pollution than women without autoimmune disease.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Evidence for associations between ambient air pollution and preterm birth and stillbirth is inconsistent. Road traffic produces both air pollutants and noise, but few studies have examined these co-exposures together and none to date with all-cause or cause-specific stillbirths.. To analyse the relationship between long-term exposure to air pollution and noise at address level during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth and stillbirth.. The study population comprised 581,774 live and still births in the Greater London area, 2006-2010. Outcomes were preterm birth (<37 completed weeks gestation), all-cause stillbirth and cause-specific stillbirth. Exposures during pregnancy to particulate matter with diameter <2.5 μm (PM. An interquartile range increase in O. Our findings suggest that exposure to higher levels of O

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; London; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Stillbirth

Since the 2000s, air pollution has generally continued to decrease in the U.S. To investigate preterm birth (PTB) risk associated with air pollutants in two consecutive pregnancies, we estimated exposures using modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models linked to the NICHD Consecutive Pregnancy Study. Electronic medical records for delivery admissions were available for 50,005 women with singleton births in 20 Utah-based hospitals between 2002-2010. We categorized whole pregnancy average exposures as high (>75th percentile), moderate (25-75) and low (<25). Modified Poisson regression estimated second pregnancy PTB risk associated with persistent high and moderate exposure, and increasing or decreasing exposure, compared to persistent low exposure. Analyses were adjusted for prior PTB, interpregnancy interval and demographic and clinical characteristics. Second pregnancy PTB risk was increased when exposure stayed high for sulfur dioxide (32%), ozone (17%), nitrogen oxides (24%), nitrogen dioxide (43%), carbon monoxide (31%) and for particles < 10 microns (29%) versus consistently low exposure. PTB risk tended to increase to a lesser extent for repeated PTB (19-21%) than for women without a prior PTB (22-79%) when exposure increased or stayed high. Area-level changes in air pollution exposure appear to have important consequences in consecutive pregnancies with increasing exposure associated with higher risk.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Carbon Monoxide; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nitrogen Dioxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Sulfur Dioxide; Utah

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Cluster Analysis; Female; Gestational Age; Health Status Disparities; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Nitrogen Dioxide; Paris; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Residence Characteristics; Socioeconomic Factors

Exposure to air pollutants has been related to preterm birth, but little evidence can be available for PM. We conducted a time-series study to evaluate the associations between daily preterm birth and major air pollutants (including PM. In this study, a total of 37,389 birth occurred between 2014 and 2016 from the Electronic Medical Records System of Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital, of which 5428 were verified as preterm birth. The single pollutant model suggested that lag effect of PM. This study indicates that short-term exposure to air pollutants (including PM

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; China; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Premature Birth; Risk Factors; Seasons; Sulfur Dioxide

Several epidemiological studies have found some evidence suggesting that exposure to air pollutants during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes. In this cohort study, we assessed individual maternal exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Cities; Cohort Studies; Databases, Factual; Female; Geographic Information Systems; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Lithuania; Logistic Models; Male; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Risk; Young Adult

Preterm birth (PB) is an important predictor of childhood morbidity and educational performance. Beyond the known risk factors, environmental factors, such as air pollution and noise, have been implicated in PB. In urban areas, these pollutants coexist. Very few studies have examined the effects of multi-exposure on the pregnancy duration. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between PB and environmental chronic multi-exposure to noise and air pollution in medium-sized cities.. A case-control study was conducted among women living in the city of Besançon (121 671 inhabitants) or in the urban unit of Dijon (243 936 inhabitants) and who delivered in a university hospital between 2005 and 2009. Only singleton pregnancies without associated pathologies were considered. Four controls were matched to each case in terms of the mother's age and delivery location. Residential noise and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposures were calculated at the mother's address. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, and sensitivity analyses were performed.. This study included 302 cases and 1204 controls. The correlation between noise and NO2 indices ranged from 0.41 to 0.59. No significant differences were found in pollutant exposure levels between cases and controls. The adjusted odds ratios ranged between 0.96 and 1.08. Sensitivity analysis conducted using different temporal and spatial exposure windows demonstrated the same results.. The results are in favour of a lack of connection between preterm delivery and multi-exposure to noise and air pollution in medium-sized cities for pregnant women without underlying disease.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollution; Case-Control Studies; Cities; Environmental Exposure; Female; France; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Male; Nitrogen Dioxide; Noise; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Risk Factors; Young Adult

Previous epidemiologic studies suggest associations between preterm birth and ambient air pollution.. We investigated associations between 11 ambient air pollutants, estimated by combining Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) simulations with measurements from stationary monitors, and risk of preterm birth (< 37 weeks of gestation) in the U.S. state of Georgia.. Birth records for singleton births ≥ 27 weeks of gestation with complete covariate information and estimated dates of conception between 1 January 2002 and 28 February 2006 were obtained from the Office of Health Indicators for Planning, Georgia Department of Public Health (n = 511,658 births). Daily pollutant concentrations at 12-km resolution were estimated for 11 ambient air pollutants. We used logistic regression with county-level fixed effects to estimate associations between preterm birth and average pollutant concentrations during the first and second trimester. Discrete-time survival models were used to estimate third-trimester and total pregnancy associations. Effect modification was investigated by maternal education, race, census tract poverty level, and county-level urbanicity.. Trimester-specific and total pregnancy associations (p < 0.05) were observed for several pollutants. All the traffic-related pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, PM2.5 elemental carbon) were associated with preterm birth [e.g., odds ratios for interquartile range increases in carbon monoxide during the first, second, and third trimesters and total pregnancy were 1.005 (95% CI: 1.001, 1.009), 1.007 (95% CI: 1.002, 1.011), 1.010 (95% CI: 1.006, 1.014), and 1.011 (95% CI: 1.006, 1.017)]. Associations tended to be higher for mothers with low educational attainment and African American mothers.. Several ambient air pollutants were associated with preterm birth; associations were observed in all exposure windows.. Hao H, Chang HH, Holmes HA, Mulholland JA, Klein M, Darrow LA, Strickland MJ. 2016. Air pollution and preterm birth in the U.S. state of Georgia (2002-2006): associations with concentrations of 11 ambient air pollutants estimated by combining Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) simulations with stationary monitor measurements. Environ Health Perspect 124:875-880; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409651.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Georgia; Humans; Logistic Models; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Although studies in western countries suggest that ambient air pollution is positively associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, the upper levels of pollutant exposures have been relatively low, thus eroding confidence in the conclusions. Meanwhile, in Asia, where upper levels of exposure have been greater, there have been limited studies of the association between air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes.. The primary objective was to evaluate whether high levels of pollution, including particulate matter pollution with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 10 μm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO) are related to increased occurrence of preterm birth (PTB).. We conducted a population-based study in Wuhan, China in a cohort of 95,911 live births during a two-year period from 2011 to 2013. The exposure was estimated based on daily mean concentrations of pollutants estimated using the pollutants' measurements from the nine closest monitors. Logistic regressions were performed to determine the relationships between exposure to each of the pollutants during different pregnancy periods and PTB while controlling for key covariates.. We found 3% (OR=1.03; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.05), 2% (OR=1.02; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.03), 15% (OR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.19), and 5% (OR=1.05; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.07) increases in risk of PTB with each 5-μg/m(3) increase in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, 100-μg/m(3) increase in CO concentrations, and 10-μg/m(3) increase in O3 concentrations, respectively. There was negligible evidence for associations for SO2 and NO2. The effects from two-pollutant models were similar to the estimated effects from single pollutant models. No critical exposure windows were identified consistently: the strongest effect for PTB was found in the second trimester for PM2.5, PM10, and CO, but for SO2 it was in the first trimester, second month, and third month. For NO2 it was in the first trimester and second month, and for O3, the third trimester.. Findings reveal an association between air pollutants and PTB. However, more toxicological studies and prospective cohort studies with improved exposure assessments are needed to establish causality related to specific pollutants.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; China; Female; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prospective Studies; Sulfur Dioxide; Young Adult

This retrospective observational study investigates the association between maternal exposure to air pollutants and pregnancy adverse outcomes in low urbanization areas.. We used multivariate regression analysis to estimate, in the Como province (2005-2012), the effects of NO(x), NO2, SO2, O3, CO, and PM10 on low birth weight (LBW), babies small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth (PTB).. PTB was inversely associated with high (5.5 μg/m³) exposure to SO2 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.58-0.95) and to CO (1.8 mg/m³, aOR = 0.84, CI = 0.72-0.99). PTB risk increased with second trimester exposure to NO(x) (118.3 μg/m³, aOR = 1.53, CI = 1.25-1.87), while LBW risk increased with third trimester PM10 (56.1 μg/m³, aOR = 1.44, CI = 1.03-2.02). SGA was inversely associated with third trimester NO(x) (115.8 μg/m³, aOR = 0.89, CI = 0.79-0.99).. Exposure to SO2 and CO seems to postpone delivery: a longer gestation could compensate for maternal hypoxemic-hypoxic damage.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Carbon Monoxide; Cities; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Italy; Male; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimesters; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Sulfur Dioxide; Young Adult

Preterm birth is a major determinant of infant mortality and morbidity. Air pollution has been suggested as a risk factor for preterm delivery; however, the scientific evidence on this impact remains inconsistent. We assessed the association between residential exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and preterm birth (gestational age at delivery <37 weeks) in Spain.. This study was based on 2409 pregnant women participating in the INMA birth cohorts in Asturias, Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia. Ambient levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene were estimated for each woman's residence for each trimester and for the whole pregnancy, using temporally adjusted land-use regression models. The association between air pollution exposure and preterm birth was assessed for each cohort separately by means of logistic regression models controlling for potential confounders, under single- and two-pollutant models, for all the women in the study and for those spending more than 15h/day at home. Combined estimates of the association across cohorts were obtained through meta-analysis.. Throughout the whole sample, suggestive but no statistically significant associations were found between exposure and preterm birth. For pregnant women spending more time at home significant associations were found for both pollutants, under single- and two-pollutant models. Under the last ones, NO2 exposure during the second trimester and the whole pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of preterm delivery (OR=1.58, (95%CI: 1.04-2.42) per 10μg/m(3) increase). Benzene exposure during the third trimester was also associated with preterm birth in that subsample (OR=1.45, (95%CI: 1.00-2.09) per 1μg/m(3) increase).. We found suggestive associations between NO2 and benzene exposure during pregnancy and preterm birth. Estimates of the association were higher among women who spent more time at home, probably reflecting a better exposure assessment in this group.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Air Pollutants; Benzene; Cohort Studies; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Residence Characteristics; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Spain; Young Adult

Recent studies have suggested associations between air pollution and various birth outcomes, but the evidence for preterm birth is mixed.. We aimed to assess the relationship between air pollution and preterm birth using 2008-2010 New York City (NYC) birth certificates linked to hospital records.. We analyzed 258,294 singleton births with 22-42 completed weeks gestation to nonsmoking mothers. Exposures to ambient fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) during the first, second, and cumulative third trimesters within 300 m of maternal address were estimated using data from the NYC Community Air Survey and regulatory monitors. We estimated the odds ratio (OR) of spontaneous preterm (gestation < 37 weeks) births for the first- and second-trimester exposures in a logistic mixed model, and the third-trimester cumulative exposures in a discrete time survival model, adjusting for maternal characteristics and delivery hospital. Spatial and temporal components of estimated exposures were also separately analyzed.. PM2.5 was not significantly associated with spontaneous preterm birth. NO2 in the second trimester was negatively associated with spontaneous preterm birth in the adjusted model (OR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.97 per 20 ppb). Neither pollutant was significantly associated with spontaneous preterm birth based on adjusted models of temporal exposures, whereas the spatial exposures showed significantly reduced odds ratios (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.96 per 10 μg/m3 PM2.5 and 0.88; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.98 per 20 ppb NO2). Without adjustment for hospital, these negative associations were stronger.. Neither PM2.5 nor NO2 was positively associated with spontaneous preterm delivery in NYC. Delivery hospital was an important spatial confounder.. Johnson S, Bobb JF, Ito K, Savitz DA, Elston B, Shmool JL, Dominici F, Ross Z, Clougherty JE, Matte T. 2016. Ambient fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and preterm birth in New York City. Environ Health Perspect 124:1283-1290; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510266.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Models, Theoretical; New York City; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Premature Birth

Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, but the potential modifying effect of maternal comorbidities remains understudied. Our objective was to investigate whether associations between prenatal air pollution exposures and birth outcomes differ by maternal comorbidities.. A total of 818,400 singleton live births were identified in the province of Ontario, Canada from 2005 to 2012. We assigned exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) to maternal residences during pregnancy. We evaluated potential effect modification by maternal comorbidities (i.e. asthma, hypertension, pre-existing diabetes mellitus, heart disease, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia) on the associations between prenatal air pollution and preterm birth, term low birth weight and small for gestational age.. Interquartile range (IQR) increases in PM2.5 (2μg/m(3)), NO2 (9ppb) and O3 (5ppb) over the entire pregnancy were associated with a 4% (95% CI: 2.4-5.6%), 8.4% (95% CI: 5.5-10.3%) and 2% (95% CI: 0.5-4.1%) increase in the odds of preterm birth, respectively. Increases of 10.6% (95% CI: 0.2-2.1%) and 23.8% (95% CI: 5.5-44.8%) in the odds of preterm birth were observed among women with pre-existing diabetes while the increases were of 3.8% (95% CI: 2.2-5.4%) and 6.5% (95% CI: 3.7-8.4%) among women without this condition for pregnancy exposure to PM2.5 and NO2, respectively (Pint<0.01). The increase in the odds of preterm birth for exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy was higher among women with preeclampsia (8.3%, 95% CI: 0.8-16.4%) than among women without (3.6%, 95% CI: 1.8-5.3%) (Pint=0.04). A stronger increase in the odds of preterm birth was found for exposure to O3 during pregnancy among asthmatic women (12.0%, 95% CI: 3.5-21.1%) compared to non-asthmatic women (2.0%, 95% CI: 0.1-3.5%) (Pint<0.01). We did not find statistically significant effect modification for the other outcomes investigated.. Findings of this study suggest that associations of ambient air pollution with preterm birth are stronger among women with pre-existing diabetes, asthma, and preeclampsia.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Asthma; Comorbidity; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Heart Diseases; Humans; Hypertension; Infant, Newborn; Male; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ontario; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Young Adult

Numerous studies have examined the association of air pollution with preterm birth and birth weight outcomes. Traffic-related air pollution has also increasingly been identified as an important contributor to adverse health effects of air pollution. We employed a national nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure model to examine the association between NO2 and pregnancy outcomes in Canada between 1999 and 2008. National models for NO2 (and particulate matter of median aerodynamic diameter <2.5µm (PM2.5) as a covariate) were developed using ground-based monitoring data, estimates from remote-sensing, land use variables and, for NO2, deterministic gradients relative to road traffic sources. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations with preterm birth, term low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) and term birth weight, adjusting for covariates including infant sex, gestational age, maternal age and marital status, parity, urban/rural place of residence, maternal place of birth, season, year of birth and neighbourhood socioeconomic status and per cent visible minority. Associations were reduced considerably after adjustment for individual covariates and neighbourhood per cent visible minority, but remained significant for SGA (odds ratio 1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06 per 20ppb NO2) and term birth weight (16.2g reduction, 95% CI 13.6-18.8g per 20ppb NO2). Associations with NO2 were of greater magnitude in a sensitivity analysis using monthly monitoring data, and among births to mothers born in Canada, and in neighbourhoods with higher incomes and a lower proportion of visible minorities. In two pollutant models, associations with NO2 were less sensitive to adjustment for PM2.5 than vice versa, and there was consistent evidence of a dose-response relationship for NO2 but not PM2.5. In this study of approximately 2.5 million Canadian births between 1999 and 2008, we found significant associations of NO2 with SGA and term birth weight which remained significant after adjustment for PM2.5, suggesting that traffic may be a particularly important source with respect to the role of air pollution as a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Air Pollutants; Canada; Female; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Male; Motor Vehicles; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Vehicle Emissions; Young Adult

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; New York City; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Exposure to pollutants during pregnancy has been related to adverse birth outcomes. LBW can give rise to lifelong impairments. Prematurity is the leading cause of LBW, yet few studies have attempted to analyse how environmental factors can influence LBW in infants who are not premature. This study therefore sought to analyse the influence of air pollution, noise levels and temperature on LBW in non-premature births in Madrid during the period 2001-2009.. Ecological time-series study to assess the impact of PM2.5, NO2 and O3 concentrations, noise levels, and temperatures on LBW among non-premature infants across the period 2001-2009. Our analysis extended to infants having birth weights of 1,500 g to 2,500 g (VLBW) and less than 1,500 g (ELBW). Environmental variables were lagged until 37 weeks with respect to the date of birth, and cross-correlation functions were used to identify explaining lags. Results were quantified using Poisson regression models.. Across the study period 298,705 births were registered in Madrid, 3,290 of which had LBW; of this latter total, 1,492 were non-premature. PM2.5 was the only pollutant to show an association with the three variables of LBW in non-premature births. This association occurred at around the third month of gestation for LBW and VLBW (LBW: lag 23 and VLBW: lag 25), and at around the eighth month of gestation for ELBW (lag 6). Leqd was linked to LBW at lag zero. The RR of PM2.5 on LBW was 1.01 (1.00 1.03). The RR of Leqd on LBW was 1.09 (0.99 1.19)(p<0.1).. The results obtained indicate that PM2.5 had influence on LBW. The adoption of measures aimed at reducing the number of vehicles would serve to lower pregnant women's exposure. In the case of noise should be limited the exposure to high levels during the final weeks of pregnancy.

Topics: Air Pollution; Cities; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; Nitrogen Dioxide; Noise; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Risk; Spain; Temperature

Evidence has accumulated that exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy may influence preterm birth (PTB) in urban settings. Conversely, this relation has barely been investigated in rural areas where individual characteristics (demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors) and environmental co-exposures may differ.. We examined the association between prenatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution and PTB among pregnant women from the PELAGIE mother-child cohort (Brittany, France, 2002-2006) living in urban (n=1550) and rural (n=959) settings.. Women's residences were classified as either urban or rural according to the French census bureau rural-urban definitions. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations at home addresses were estimated from adjusted land-use regression models as a marker of traffic-related pollution. Associations between NO2 concentrations and PTB were assessed with logistic regression models.. Prevalence of PTB was similar among women living in urban (3.2%) and in rural (3.5%) settings. More positive socioeconomic characteristics and health behaviors but more single-parent families were observed among urban women. NO2 exposure averaged 20.8±6.6 µg m(-3) for women residing in urban areas and 18.8±5.6 µg m(-3) for their rural counterparts. A statistically significant increased risk of PTB was observed among women exposed to NO2 concentrations ≥16.4 µg m(-3) and residing in urban areas but not among their rural counterparts.. The results of this study, conducted in a region with interspersed urban-rural areas, are in line with previous findings suggesting an increased risk of PTB associated with higher NO2 concentrations for women living in urban areas. The absence of association among their rural counterparts for whom exposure levels were similar suggests that environmental mixtures and psychosocial inequalities might play a role in this heterogeneity.

Topics: Air Pollution; Cohort Studies; Female; France; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Logistic Models; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Prevalence; Rural Population; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urban Population; Vehicle Emissions

Previous work suggests an association between air pollution exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes, even at relatively low concentrations. Our aim was to quantify the effect of air pollution having an adverse effect on preterm birth (PTB) and fetal growth in a large UK cohort using a novel exposure estimation technique [spatio-temporal (S-T) model] alongside a traditional nearest stationary monitor technique (NSTAT).. All available postcodes from a Northwest England birth outcome dataset during 2004-2008 were geocoded (N=203 562 deliveries). Pollution estimates were linked to corresponding pregnancy periods using temporally adjusted background modelled concentrations as well as NSTAT. Associations with PTB, small for gestational age (SGA), and birth weight were investigated using regression models adjusting for maternal age, ethnicity, parity, birth season, socioeconomic status (SES), body mass index (BMI), and smoking.. Based on the novel S-T model, a small statistically significant association was observed for particulate matter (PM10) and SGA, particularly with exposure in the first and third trimesters. Similar effects on SGA were also found for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), particulate matter (PM 2,5), and carbon monoxide (CO) in later pregnancy, but no overall increased risk was observed. No associations were found with NO xor the outcomes PTB and reduction in birth weight.. Our findings suggest an association between air pollution exposure and birth of a SGA infant, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy but not with PTB or mean birth weight change.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollution; Birth Weight; Carbon Monoxide; England; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimesters; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Young Adult

In this retrospective cohort (1998 to 2007), 145,445 singleton live births in Hillsborough, Florida, were analyzed to elucidate the relationship between fetal morbidity and prenatal exposure to six criteria air pollutants.. This study was based on three linked databases: Florida Hospital Discharge, vital statistics records, and air pollution meteorological data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The primary outcomes of interest were low birth weight, preterm births, and small for gestational age. This study used structural equation modeling and trimester groupings to evaluate the relationship between air pollution and birth outcomes of pregnant residents.. The latent variables of structural equation modeling yielded a significant B value of 0.35, indicating that exposure to the criteria pollutants in pregnancy may have a significant relationship to fetal morbidity.. Exposure to criteria air pollutants in pregnancy is associated with fetal morbidity outcomes.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Carbon Monoxide; Female; Florida; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Lead; Maternal Exposure; Models, Statistical; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sulfur Dioxide; Weather

Although the prevalence of preterm births ranges from 5 to 13% and represents the leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity in developed countries, the etiology of preterm birth remains uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term exposure to high and low temperatures and air pollution on preterm delivery and to identify socio-demographic and clinical maternal risk factors enhancing individual susceptibility.. We analyzed all singleton live births by natural delivery that occurred in Rome in 2001-2010. A time-series approach was used to estimate the effect of exposure to minimum temperature, maximum apparent temperature, heat waves, particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10μm or less (PM10), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide in the month preceding delivery; the analysis was conducted separately for cold and warm seasons. Socio-demographic and clinical risk factors were included as interaction terms.. Preterm births comprised nearly 6% of our cohort. An increase of 1.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-2.87) in daily preterm births per 1°C increase in maximum apparent temperature in the 2days preceding delivery was estimated for the warm season. Older women, women with higher education levels, and women with obstetric or chronic pathologies reported during delivery had a lower effect of temperature on the risk of preterm birth, while women with a chronic disease in the two years before delivery and mothers<20years showed a higher effect. A +19% (95% CI 7.91-31.69) increase in preterm births was observed during heat waves. Temperature had no effect during the cold season. We detected a significant effect of PM10 on preterm-birth risk at a lag period of 12-22days during the warm season (+0.69%; 95% CI 0.23-1.15, for 1μg/m(3) increase of pollutant); women with obstetric pathologies and with a higher education level showed a higher risk.. Our results suggest a possible short-term effect of heat and a more delayed and prolonged effect of PM10 exposure on preterm-birth risk, as well as the existence of more susceptible subgroups of women. Our observations support the few reported investigations, and may help to increase awareness among public-health stakeholders and clinicians regarding the role of these environmental exposures as risk factors for premature birth and health consequences for children later in life.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Air Pollutants; Environmental Exposure; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Italy; Middle Aged; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Risk Factors; Seasons; Temperature; Young Adult

There is growing evidence for an adverse effect of maternal exposure to air pollution on pregnancy outcomes. As European data on this topic are limited, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution during different periods of pregnancy on preterm birth and fetal growth.. We estimated maternal residential exposure to NO(2) during pregnancy (entire pregnancy and trimesters) for 7600 singleton births participating in the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) prospective birth cohort study by means of a temporally adjusted land-use regression model. Associations between air pollution concentrations and preterm birth and fetal growth (expressed as small for gestational age and term birth weight) were analysed by means of logistic and linear regression models with and without adjustment for maternal physiological, lifestyle and sociodemographic characteristics.. There was no indication of an increase in preterm birth among highly exposed women. Children of mothers with NO(2) levels in the highest exposure category on average had the highest term birth weight of all children and were among those with the lowest risk of being small for gestational age with little indication of a dose-response relationship.. In this study, there is no evidence for a harmful effect of estimated maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, small for gestational age and term birth weight.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Air Pollutants; Birth Weight; Environmental Monitoring; Epidemiologic Methods; Epidemiological Monitoring; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Male; Maternal Exposure; Netherlands; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Vehicle Emissions; Young Adult

Maternal exposure to air pollution has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Few studies took into account the spatial and temporal variation of air pollution levels.. To evaluate the impact of maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy on preterm birth and term birth weight using a spatio-temporal exposure model.. We estimated maternal residential exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), particulate matter (PM(2.5)) and soot during pregnancy (entire pregnancy, 1st trimester, and last month) for 3853 singleton births within the Dutch PIAMA prospective birth cohort study by means of temporally adjusted land-use regression models. Associations between air pollution concentrations and preterm birth and term birth weight were analyzed by means of logistic and linear regression models with and without adjustment for maternal physical, lifestyle, and socio-demographic characteristics.. We found positive, statistically non-significant associations between exposure to soot during entire pregnancy and during the last month of pregnancy and preterm birth [adj. OR (95% CI) per interquartile range increase in exposure 1.08 (0.88-1.34) and 1.09 (0.93-1.27), respectively]. There was no indication of an adverse effect of air pollution exposure on term birth weight.. In this study, maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy was not associated with term birth weight. There was a tendency towards an increased risk of preterm birth with increasing air pollution exposure, but statistical power was low.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Birth Weight; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Netherlands; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Prospective Studies; Soot; Term Birth; Vehicle Emissions; Young Adult

Over the last decade, a few studies have investigated the possible adverse effects of ambient air pollution on preterm birth. However, the correlation between them still remains unclear, due to insufficient evidences.. The correlation between air pollution and preterm birth in Guangzhou city was examined by using the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) extended Poisson regression model in which we controlled the confounding factors such as meteorological factors, time trends, weather and day of the week (DOW). We also adjusted the co linearity of air pollutants by using Principal Component Analysis. The meteorological data and air pollution data were obtained from the Meteorological Bureau and the Environmental Monitoring Centre, while the medical records of newborns were collected from the perinatal health database of all obstetric institutions in Guangzhou, China in 2007.. In 2007, the average daily concentrations of NO₂, PM₁₀ and SO₂ in Guangzhou, were 61.04, 82.51 and 51.67 μg/m³ respectively, where each day an average of 21.47 preterm babies were delivered. Pearson correlation analysis suggested a negative correlation between the concentrations of NO₂, PM₁₀, SO₂, and temperature as well as relative humidity. As for the time-series GAM analysis, the results of single air pollutant model suggested that the cumulative effects of NO₂, PM₁₀ and SO₂ reached its peak on day 3, day 4 and day 3 respectively. An increase of 100 μg/m³ of air pollutants corresponded to relative risks (RRs) of 1.0542 (95%CI: 1.0080 ~1.1003), 1.0688 (95%CI: 1.0074 ~1.1301) and 1.1298 (95%CI: 1.0480 ~1.2116) respectively. After adjusting co linearity by using the Principal Component Analysis, the GAM model of the three air pollutants suggested that an increase of 100 μg/m³ of air pollutants corresponded to RRs of 1.0185 (95%CI: 1.0056~1.0313), 1.0215 (95%CI: 1.0066 ~1.0365) and 1.0326 (95%CI: 1.0101 ~1.0552) on day 0; and RRs of the three air pollutants, at their strongest cumulative effects, were 1.0219 (95%CI: 1.0053~1.0386), 1.0274 (95%CI: 1.0066~1.0482) and 1.0388 (95%CI: 1.0096 ~1.0681) respectively.. This study indicates that the daily concentrations of air pollutants such as NO₂, PM₁₀ and SO₂ have a positive correlation with the preterm births in Guangzhou, China.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; China; Female; Humans; Nitrogen Dioxide; Particulate Matter; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis; Poisson Distribution; Pregnancy; Premature Birth; Risk Factors; Sulfur Dioxide; Urban Health

Previous studies reported adverse impacts of traffic-related air pollution exposure on pregnancy outcomes. Yet, little information exists on how effect estimates are impacted by the different exposure assessment methods employed in these studies.. To compare effect estimates for traffic-related air pollution exposure and preeclampsia, preterm birth (gestational age less than 37 weeks), and very preterm birth (gestational age less than 30 weeks) based on four commonly used exposure assessment methods.. We identified 81,186 singleton births during 1997-2006 at four hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. Exposures were assigned to individual subjects based on residential address at delivery using the nearest ambient monitoring station data [carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), ozone (O(3)), and particulate matter less than 2.5 (PM(2.5)) or less than 10 (PM(10))μm in aerodynamic diameter], both unadjusted and temporally adjusted land-use regression (LUR) model estimates (NO, NO(2), and NO(x)), CALINE4 line-source air dispersion model estimates (NO(x) and PM(2.5)), and a simple traffic-density measure. We employed unconditional logistic regression to analyze preeclampsia in our birth cohort, while for gestational age-matched risk sets with preterm and very preterm birth we employed conditional logistic regression.. We observed elevated risks for preeclampsia, preterm birth, and very preterm birth from maternal exposures to traffic air pollutants measured at ambient stations (CO, NO, NO(2), and NO(x)) and modeled through CALINE4 (NO(x) and PM(2.5)) and LUR (NO(2) and NO(x)). Increased risk of preterm birth and very preterm birth were also positively associated with PM(10) and PM(2.5) air pollution measured at ambient stations. For LUR-modeled NO(2) and NO(x) exposures, elevated risks for all the outcomes were observed in Los Angeles only--the region for which the LUR models were initially developed. Unadjusted LUR models often produced odds ratios somewhat larger in size than temporally adjusted models. The size of effect estimates was smaller for exposures based on simpler traffic density measures than the other exposure assessment methods.. We generally confirmed that traffic-related air pollution was associated with adverse reproductive outcomes regardless of the exposure assessment method employed, yet the size of the estimated effect depended on how both temporal and spatial variations were incorporated into exposure assessment. The LUR model was not transferable even between two contiguous areas within the same large metropolitan area in Southern California.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; California; Carbon Monoxide; Female; Humans; Maternal Exposure; Models, Chemical; Nitric Oxide; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Pre-Eclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Regression Analysis; Vehicle Emissions; Young Adult

Research has shown that prenatal exposure to air pollutants may have a detrimental effect on fetal development, with the strength of the relationship depending on the effect being studied. The evidence to date, however, is insufficient to establish a direct causal link between such exposure and preterm delivery. This study evaluates the specific effect of prenatal exposure to NO(2) and benzene on preterm births.. The population under study comprised 785 pregnant women who formed part of the INMA cohort in Valencia, Spain (2003-2005). Multiple regression models were used for mapping outdoor nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) and benzene levels throughout the area. Individual exposure was assigned as the estimated outdoor levels at each woman's home measured during each trimester as well as throughout the entire pregnancy. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated in order to assess the association between preterm birth and exposure to NO(2) and benzene. The shape of the exposure-response curve between air pollution and the risk of preterm birth was analyzed with a flexible approach, introducing a natural cubic spline for air pollution levels into the model.. Pregnant women exposed to NO(2) and benzene have an increased risk of preterm birth. This risk was shown to be significant when women were exposed to NO(2) levels >46.2 μg/m(3) during the second and third trimesters as well as throughout the entire pregnancy and to benzene levels >2.7 μg/m(3) throughout the entire pregnancy.. These results suggest that maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution is associated with preterm birth.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Benzene; Female; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Pregnancy; Premature Birth

Recent reports have shown that air pollution may increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes. We have evaluated the relationship between ambient air pollution and the occurrence of low birth weight and preterm delivery using routinely collected data in Lithuania.. This epidemiological study comprised all singleton newborns (N = 3,988), born to women in 1998, who resided in the City of Kaunas. Birth data and information on maternal characteristics were obtained from the Lithuanian National Birth Register. To estimate residential exposure levels, we used measurements of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde, which were collected at 12 monitoring posts. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effect that each pollutant would have on low birth weight (LBW) and premature birth while controlling for potential confounders.. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) for LBW increased with increasing formaldehyde exposure (OR2nd tertile = 1.86, 95% CI 1.10-3.16; OR3rd tertile = 1.84, 95% CI 1.12-3.03). Adjusted ORs of preterm birth for the medium and high NO2 tertile exposures were OR = 1.14 (95% CI 0.77-1.68) and OR = 1.68 (95% CI 1.15-2.46), respectively. The risk of preterm birth increased by 25% (adjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.07-1.46) per 10 microg/m3 increase in NO2 concentrations. An analysis by trimester showed that pregnancy outcomes were associated with first-trimester exposure to air pollutants. However, there were no significant relationships in other pregnancy periods between preterm birth and exposure to formaldehyde or between LBW and NO2 exposure.. Our findings suggest that in the City of Kaunas there might be a relationship between maternal exposure to ambient formaldehyde and the risk of LBW, as well as between NO2 exposure and the risk of preterm birth.

Topics: Adult; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Female; Formaldehyde; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Lithuania; Maternal Exposure; Nitrogen Dioxide; Odds Ratio; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Premature Birth; Residence Characteristics; Smoking; Urban Population; Vehicle Emissions