Associations between maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and very low birth weight: A birth cohort study in Chongqing, China

Wenzheng Zhou; Xin Ming; Yunping Yang; Yaqiong Hu; Ziyi He; Hongyan Chen; Yannan Li; Jin Cheng; Xiaojun Zhou

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1123594

Associations between maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and very low birth weight: A birth cohort study in Chongqing, China

Front Public Health. 2023 Mar 7:11:1123594. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1123594. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Wenzheng Zhou^{1

2}, Xin Ming^{1

2}, Yunping Yang^{1

2}, Yaqiong Hu^{1

2}, Ziyi He^{1

2}, Hongyan Chen^{1

2}, Yannan Li^{1

2}, Jin Cheng³, Xiaojun Zhou^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Quality Management Section, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
² Department of Quality Management Section, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China.
³ Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China.

Abstract

Introduction: There have been many researches done on the association between maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes, but few studies related to very low birth weight (VLBW). This study thus explores the association between maternal exposure to ambient air pollutants and the risk of VLBW, and estimates the sensitive exposure time window.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study analyzed in Chongqing, China, during 2015-2020. The Generalized Additive Model were applied to estimate exposures for each participant during each trimester and the entire pregnancy period.

Results: For each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 during pregnancy, the relative risk of VLBW increased on the first trimester, with RR = 1.100 (95% CI: 1.012, 1.195) in the single-pollutant model. Similarly, for each 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀, there was a 12.9% (RR = 1.129, 95% CI: 1.055, 1.209) increase for VLBW on the first trimester in the single-pollutant model, and an 11.5% (RR = 1.115, 95% CI: 1.024, 1.213) increase in the multi-pollutant model, respectively. The first and second trimester exposures of NO₂ were found to have statistically significant RR values for VLBW. The RR values on the first trimester were 1.131 (95% CI: 1.037, 1.233) and 1.112 (95% CI: 1.015, 1.218) in the single-pollutant model and multi-pollutant model, respectively; The RR values on the second trimester were 1.129 (95% CI: 1.027, 1.241) and 1.146 (95% CI: 1.038, 1.265) in the single-pollutant model and multi-pollutant model, respectively. The RR of O3 exposure for VLBW on the entire trimester was 1.076 (95% CI: 1.010-1.146), and on the second trimester was 1.078 (95% CI: 1:016, 1.144) in the single-pollutant model.

Conclusion: This study indicates that maternal exposure to high levels of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and O₃ during pregnancy may increase the risk of very low birth weight, especially for exposure on the first and second trimester. Reducing the risk of early maternal exposure to ambient air pollution is thus necessary for pregnant women.

Keywords: China; air pollution; environmental exposure; risk assessment; very low birth weight.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / adverse effects
Air Pollutants* / analysis
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Air Pollution* / analysis
China / epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Maternal Exposure / adverse effects
Nitrogen Dioxide / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / analysis
Pregnancy
Retrospective Studies

Substances

Nitrogen Dioxide
Particulate Matter
Air Pollutants

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Chongqing Science and Technology Bureau Project [grant number: cstc2018jscx-mszdX0021] and the Association Between Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Premature Birth and Low Birth Weight Outcomes in Chongqing Based on Birth Cohort [grant number: cstc2020jcyj-msxmX0511].