Journal Article

First Trimester Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution, Pregnancy Complications and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Allegheny County, PA

Lee, Pei-Chen, Roberts, James M., Talbott, Evelyn O., Catov, Janet M., Ritz, Beate

2013

Overview

Despite numerous studies of air pollution and adverse birth outcomes, few studies have investigated preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, two pregnancy disorders with serious consequences for both mother and infant. Relying on hospital birth records, we conducted a cohort study identifying 34,705 singleton births delivered at Magee-Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA between 1997 and 2002. Particle (<10 μm-PM 10 ; <2.5 μm-PM 2.5 ) and ozone (O 3 ) exposure concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy were estimated using the space–time ordinary Kriging interpolation method. We employed multiple logistic regression estimate associations between first trimester exposures and preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, preterm delivery, and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. PM 2.5 and O 3 exposures were associated with preeclampsia (adjusted OR = 1.15, 95 % CI = 0.96–1.39 per 4.0 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 ; adjusted OR = 1.12, 95 % CI = 0.89–1.42 per 16.8 ppb increase in O 3 ), gestational hypertension (for PM 2.5 OR = 1.11, 95 % CI = 1.00–1.23; for O 3 OR = 1.12, 95 % CI = 0.97–1.29), and preterm delivery (for PM 2.5 ORs = 1.10, 95 % CI = 1.01–1.20; for O 3 ORs = 1.23, 95 % CI = 1.01–1.50). Smaller 5–8 % increases in risk were also observed for PM 10 with gestational hypertension and SGA, but not preeclampsia. Our data suggest that first trimester exposure to particles, mostly PM 2.5 , and ozone, may increase the risk of developing preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, as well as preterm delivery and SGA.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adult / Air Pollutants - adverse effects / Air pollution / Air Pollution - adverse effects / Cohort Studies / Exposure / Female / Gynecology / Health aspects / Humans / Hypertension / Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced - epidemiology / Infant, Newborn / Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Infants / Logistic Models / Maternal and Child Health / Maternal Exposure / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Odds Ratio / Outdoor air quality / Ozone / Particulate Matter - adverse effects / Pediatrics / Pennsylvania - epidemiology / Pollution studies / Population Economics / Population Surveillance / Preeclampsia / Pregnancy / Pregnancy Complications - epidemiology / Pregnancy Outcome / Pregnancy Trimester, First / Pregnancy, Complications of / Premature birth / Premature Birth - epidemiology / Public Health / Risk Assessment / Risk factors / Socioeconomic Factors / Sociology / Womens health / Young Adult