Amazon forest fires between 2001 and 2006 and birth weight in Porto Velho

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 2012 Jul;89(1):1-7. doi: 10.1007/s00128-012-0621-z. Epub 2012 Apr 4.

Abstract

Birth weight data (22,012 live-births) from a public hospital in Porto Velho (Amazon) was used in multiple statistical models to assess the effects of forest-fire smoke on human reproductive outcome. Mean birth weights for girls (3,139 g) and boys (3,393 g) were considered statistically different (p-value < 2.2e-16). Among all models analyzed, the means were considered statistically different only when treated as a function of month and year (p-value = 0.0989, girls and 0.0079, boys) . The R (2) statistics indicate that the regression models considered are able to explain 65 % (girls) and 54 % (boys) of the variation of the mean birth weight.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data
  • Birth Weight*
  • Brazil
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
  • Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Fires / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Models, Statistical
  • Rural Population
  • Trees*