The quality of the air mom breathes may influence fetal growth. A study was conducted in New Jersey and the results published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The researchers examined data from 336,000 pregnant women living in various areas in the state of New Jersey. All had babies between the years of 1999 and 2003. Monitoring sites placed at strategic locations around the study areas gave information about air pollution.
Daily measurements were taken within a six mile radius of the homes of the women in the study. Air quality was tracked to determine any link between the level of pollutants in the air and the growth of the babies.
Researchers found a link between the levels of certain air pollutants and low birth weight in the babies. They found an increase in particulate matter and nitrogen oxide was associated with a significant increase in low birth weight babies.
An increase in particulate matter was also found to have an impact on the health of the placenta. Women with particulate matter exposure in the last trimester of pregnancy were more likely to experience a problem with the placenta, known as placental abruption or premature rupture of the membranes.
Further study will be needed to determine exactly how air pollution affects the growth of the fetus. In the meantime, pregnant women living in areas of heavy pollution may want to avoid spending a lot of time outdoors on days when the air quality is poor.
In many areas of the country, this information is given during the weather report on the evening news. People with allergies and lung conditions watch this information and plan accordingly. Pregnant women can do the same.