Air Pollution Exposure Throughout Pregnancy Ups Risk for Spontaneous Preterm Birth
TUESDAY, Nov. 26, 2024 -- Exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and specific PM2.5 constituents during pregnancy is associated with increased odds of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), according to a study published online Nov. 13 in JAMA Network Open.
Anqi Jiao, from the University of California Irvine, and colleagues examined whether exposure to PM2.5 and its constituents are associated with sPTB. The analysis included 409,037 births in Southern California (2008 to 2018).
The researchers found positive associations of PM2.5, black carbon, nitrate, and sulfate with sPTB. Per interquartile range increase, odds of sPTB were 15 percent higher for PM2.5, 15 percent higher for black carbon, 9 percent higher for nitrate, and 6 percent higher for sulfate during the entire pregnancy. The most susceptible window was exposure during the second trimester. Among individuals with lower educational attainment, risk was even higher. Additionally, environmental exposures increased risk (e.g., those who were exposed to limited green space, more wildfire smoke, or extreme heat).
"Though the causes of spontaneous preterm birth are complex and not fully understood, our study identifies air pollution as a contributing factor, highlighting the need for targeted interventions," coauthor Jun Wu, Ph.D., also from the University of California Irvine, said in a statement.
Two authors disclosed ties to Pfizer, Dynavax Technologies, and/or Hologic.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Lung Cancer Screening Beneficial to Age 80 for Candidates Fit for Surgery
FRIDAY, Sept. 12, 2025 -- People aged 75 to 80 years at last screen who are diagnosed with screen-detected lung cancer (LC) have lower overall survival, but those undergoing...
Sex Differences Seen in Characteristics, Course of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
FRIDAY, Sept. 12, 2025 -- Significant sex differences are seen in the characteristics and course of schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD), according to a study published...
Potentially Inappropriate Medications Linked to Frailty at Cancer Diagnosis
FRIDAY, Sept. 12, 2025 -- For patients with newly diagnosed cancer, an increasing number of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), as identified by the Geriatric Oncology...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.