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Health Effects of Air Pollution on Fetus

Article information

J Korean Med Assoc. 2007;50(2):183-190
Publication date (electronic) : 2007 February 28
doi : https://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.2.183
Eun-Hee Ha, MD, Byung Mi Kim, MD
Department of Preventive Medicine, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Korea. eunheeha@ewha.ac.kr, kbm80@hanmail.net

Abstract

In many previous studies for the relationship between air pollution and birth outcome, the exposure was based on the data for environmental monitoring site. We reviewed the epidemiologic studies that evaluated the health effects of air pollution on birth outcome such as low birth weight and preterm births. We identified the air pollution exposure during pregnancy was related with low birth weight and preterm birth, although there are differences between studies for the critical period of vulnerability. also suggests that the indoor and personal exposure to VOCs during pregnancy may contribute the adverse pregnancy outcomes. The biological mechanisms whereby air pollution might influence health of fetus are not clearly established. Controlling for potential confounders and valid assessment of exposure are the problem remained in these epidemiologic studies. In the future, more studies are need to investigate the effect of air pollution on preterm birth or stillbirths, considering the various exposure period, and the biological mechanism. also results should be taken into account for future advisories and evaluation of environmental policy.

Keywords: Air pollution; Fetal health; VOCs; Birth outcome

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Article information Continued

Copyright © 2007 Korean Medical Association

Figure 1

Figure 1

Relatianshiop between maternal CO, NO2, SO2, TSP exposure and Birth weight in the first trimester

Reference: Epidemiology 2001;12(6):643-648.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Relationship between 7th month PM10 exposure and log of hazard ratio

Reference: J Prev Med Pub Health 2004;37(4):300-305.

Figure 3

Figure 3

Scatter plots of correlation among a 72-hr indoor, outdoor and personal VOC exposure concentration (µg/m3)

Figure 4

Figure 4

Gestational age by 90 percentile of VOCs personal exposure

Figure 5

Figure 5

Birth weight by 90 percentile of VOCs personal exposure

Figure 6

Figure 6

Summary of VOCs study results

Table 1

Relative Risks and 95% confidence intervals for adverse birth outcomes by average ambient PM10 concentration (per 10µg/m3) for first, second and third trimester periods

Table 1

*Analyzed by multiple logistic regression in SAS

†Adjusted for infant gender, infant order, maternal age and educational level, paternal educational level and season

‡Adjusted for infant gender, infant order, maternal age and educational level, paternal education, season, alcohol drinking, maternal body mass index(BMI) and weight just before delivery

Table 2

Relationship between indoor and personal exposure during the first trimester

Table 2

Model 1 : Simple regression

Model 2 : Adjusted for ETS exposure time, maternal age, education level, time spent in motor

Table 3

Association of gestational age with VOCs exposure

Table 3

Model 1: Simple regression

Model 2: Adjusted for matemal age and education, past history of preterm births, spontaneous abortion, and preeclampsia, and infant sex

Table 4

Association of birth weight with VOCs exposure

Table 4

Model 1: Simple regression

Model 2: Adjusted for matemal age and education, past history of preterm births, spontaneous abortion, and preeclampsia, and infant sex