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.
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.
For each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 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.
This study indicates that maternal exposure to high levels of PM2.5, 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.