Air Pollution and Low Birth Weight in Connecticut and Massachusetts
Author Information
Author(s): Michelle L. Bell, Keita Ebisu, Kathleen Belanger
Primary Institution: Yale University
Hypothesis
Does maternal exposure to air pollution affect birth weight?
Conclusion
Exposure to air pollution, even at low levels, may increase the risk of low birth weight, particularly for some segments of the population.
Supporting Evidence
- An interquartile increase in gestational exposure to NO2 lowered birth weight by 8.9 g.
- An interquartile increase in CO lowered birth weight by 16.2 g.
- An interquartile increase in PM10 lowered birth weight by 8.2 g.
- An interquartile increase in PM2.5 lowered birth weight by 14.7 g.
- Lower birth weight was associated with exposure in the third trimester for PM10.
Takeaway
Breathing dirty air while pregnant can make babies smaller when they are born, especially for some moms.
Methodology
Logistic and linear models were used to analyze the relationship between air pollution exposure and birth weight.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of exposure due to residential mobility and reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study may not fully account for all confounding factors, and exposure estimates are based on county-level data.
Participant Demographics
Parents were predominantly married and white, with a mean maternal age of 29.5 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI for NO2: 7.0–10.8 g, CO: 12.6–19.7 g, PM10: 5.3–11.1 g, PM2.5: 12.3–17.1 g
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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