Findings seen for assisted ventilation, multiple clinical interventions, and systemic antibiotics<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Prenatal exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5<\/sub>) increase the risk for severe respiratory distress among term newborns, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in\u00a0Environmental Health Perspectives<\/em>.<\/p>\n Markey Johnson, Ph.D., from Health Canada in Ottawa, and colleagues examined associations between prenatal exposures to PM2.5<\/sub>\u00a0and nitrogen dioxide with respiratory distress and related neonatal outcomes. The analysis included data from 2,001 participants in a prospective pregnancy cohort recruited in the first trimester from 10 Canadian cities.\u00a0<\/p>\n The researchers found that 7 percent of newborns experienced respiratory distress, including 4 percent who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There were no associations observed between prenatal exposures to air pollution and physician-diagnosed respiratory distress, oxygen therapy, or NICU admissions. However, there was a strong association seen between PM2.5\u00a0<\/sub>exposures and assisted ventilation (odds ratio [OR], 1.17 per 1-\u00ce\u00bcg\/m3<\/sup>\u00a0increase in PM2.5<\/sub>), multiple clinical interventions (OR, 1.16 per 1-\u00ce\u00bcg\/m3<\/sup>\u00a0increase in PM2.5<\/sub>), and systemic antibiotics (OR, 1.12 per 1-\u00ce\u00bcg\/m3 <\/sup>increase in PM2.5<\/sub>). Across exposure periods (prepregnancy, individual trimesters, and total pregnancy), the associations were consistent and robust to model specification.<\/p>\n “These findings support the development and prioritization of public health and prenatal care strategies to increase awareness and minimize prenatal exposures to air pollution,” the authors write.<\/p>\n