In Utero Air Pollution Exposure Tied to Infant Neurodevelopmental Delays

THURSDAY, Nov. 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is significantly associated with delays in neurodevelopment, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.

Ping Shih, from the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, and colleagues evaluated the association between ambient particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in diameter (PM_2.5) during the prenatal and postnatal periods and infant neurodevelopmental parameters. The analysis included 17,683 term singletons without congenital malformations.

The researchers found that PM_2.5 during the second trimester was associated with increased risks for delays in gross motor neurodevelopmental milestones (adjusted odds ratio, 1.09 per 10 μg/m³ increase in exposure to PM_2.5). There were also associations of delayed fine motor development (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06) and personal-social skills with exposure to PM_2.5 in the second and third trimesters (adjusted odds ratios, 1.11 for the second trimester and 1.06 for the third). There were no associations observed between neurodevelopmental parameters and postnatal PM_2.5 exposure.

“Protection of children from air pollutants needs to be started during their mothers’ pregnancy,” a coauthor said in a statement.

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