Spatially and Temporally Resolved Ambient PM2.5 in Relation to Preterm Birth

Growing evidence suggests that maternal exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth; however, few studies have examined critical windows of exposure, which can help elucidate underlying biologic mechanisms and inform public health messaging for limiting exposure. Participants included 891 mother–newborn pairs enrolled in a U.S.-based pregnancy cohort study. Daily residential PM2.5 concentrations at a 1 × 1 km2 resolution were estimated using a satellite-based hybrid model. Gestational age at birth was abstracted from electronic medical records and preterm birth (PTB) was defined as <37 completed weeks of gestation. We used Critical Window Variable Selection to examine weekly PM2.5 exposure in relation to the odds of PTB and examined sex-specific associations using stratified models. The mean ± standard deviation PM2.5 level averaged across pregnancy was 8.13 ± 1.10 µg/m3. PM2.5 exposure was not associated with an increased odds of PTB during any gestational week. In sex-stratified models, we observed a marginal increase in the odds of PTB with exposure occurring during gestational week 16 among female infants only. This study does not provide strong evidence supporting an association between weekly exposure to PM2.5 and preterm birth.

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The Combined Effects of Fine Particulate Matter and Temperature on Preterm Birth in Seoul, 2010–2016

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041463 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1463

Author(s):

Youngrin Kwag ◽

Min-ho Kim ◽

Shinhee Ye ◽

Jongmin Oh ◽

Gyeyoon Yim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Low Temperatures ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Temperature Data ◽

Fine Particulate ◽

The Mean ◽

Pm2.5 Exposure ◽

Pm2.5 Concentration

Background: Preterm birth contributes to the morbidity and mortality of newborns and infants. Recent studies have shown that maternal exposure to particulate matter and extreme temperatures results in immune dysfunction, which can induce preterm birth. This study aimed to evaluate the association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure, temperature, and preterm birth in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Methods: We used 2010–2016 birth data from Seoul, obtained from the Korea National Statistical Office Microdata. PM2.5 concentration data from Seoul were generated through the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Seoul temperature data were collected from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The exposure period of PM2.5 and temperature were divided into the first (TR1), second (TR2), and third (TR3) trimesters of pregnancy. The mean PM2.5 concentration was used in units of ×10 µg/m3 and the mean temperature was divided into four categories based on quartiles. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between PM2.5 exposure and preterm birth, as well as the combined effects of PM2.5 exposure and temperature on preterm birth. Result: In a model that includes three trimesters of PM2.5 and temperature data as exposures, which assumes an interaction between PM2.5 and temperature in each trimester, the risk of preterm birth was positively associated with TR1 PM2.5 exposure among pregnant women exposed to relatively low mean temperatures (<3.4 °C) during TR1 (OR 1.134, 95% CI 1.061–1.213, p < 0.001). Conclusions: When we assumed the interaction between PM2.5 exposure and temperature exposure, PM2.5 exposure during TR1 increased the risk of preterm birth among pregnant women exposed to low temperatures during TR1. Pregnant women should be aware of the risk associated with combined exposure to particulate matter and low temperatures during TR1 to prevent preterm birth.

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Ambient Fine Particulate Matter and Preterm Birth in California: Identification of Critical Exposure Windows

American Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/aje/kwz120 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 188 (9) ◽

pp. 1608-1615 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Paige Sheridan ◽

Sindana Ilango ◽

Tim A Bruckner ◽

Qiong Wang ◽

Rupa Basu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Distributed Lag ◽

Fine Particulate ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Models ◽

Pm2.5 Exposure ◽

Exposure Windows

Abstract Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (particulate matter ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5)) during pregnancy is associated with preterm birth (PTB), a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Results from studies attempting to identify etiologically relevant exposure periods of vulnerability have been inconsistent, possibly because of failure to consider the time-to-event nature of the outcome and lagged exposure effects of PM2.5. In this study, we aimed to identify critical exposure windows for weekly PM2.5 exposure and PTB in California using California birth cohort data from 2005–2010. Associations were assessed using distributed-lag Cox proportional hazards models. We assessed effect-measure modification by race/ethnicity by calculating the weekly relative excess risk due to interaction. For a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure over the entire period of gestation, PTB risk increased by 11% (hazard ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.14). Gestational weeks 17–24 and 36 were associated with increased vulnerability to PM2.5 exposure. We find that non-Hispanic black mothers may be more susceptible to effects of PM2.5 exposure than non-Hispanic white mothers, particularly at the end of pregnancy. These findings extend our knowledge about the existence of specific exposure periods during pregnancy that have the greatest impact on preterm birth.

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Maternal biological age assessed in early pregnancy is associated with gestational age at birth

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94281-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eva E. Lancaster ◽

Dana M. Lapato ◽

Colleen Jackson-Cook ◽

Jerome F. Strauss ◽

Roxann Roberson-Nay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Cellular Aging ◽

Biological Age ◽

Potential Candidate ◽

A Genome ◽

Gestational Age At Birth ◽

Age At Birth

AbstractMaternal age is an established predictor of preterm birth independent of other recognized risk factors. The use of chronological age makes the assumption that individuals age at a similar rate. Therefore, it does not capture interindividual differences that may exist due to genetic background and environmental exposures. As a result, there is a need to identify biomarkers that more closely index the rate of cellular aging. One potential candidate is biological age (BA) estimated by the DNA methylome. This study investigated whether maternal BA, estimated in either early and/or late pregnancy, predicts gestational age at birth. BA was estimated from a genome-wide DNA methylation platform using the Horvath algorithm. Linear regression methods assessed the relationship between BA and pregnancy outcomes, including gestational age at birth and prenatal perceived stress, in a primary and replication cohort. Prenatal BA estimates from early pregnancy explained variance in gestational age at birth above and beyond the influence of other recognized preterm birth risk factors. Sensitivity analyses indicated that this signal was driven primarily by self-identified African American participants. This predictive relationship was sensitive to small variations in the BA estimation algorithm. Benefits and limitations of using BA in translational research and clinical applications for preterm birth are considered.

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Ambient fine particulate matter air pollution and the risk of preterm birth: A multicenter birth cohort study in China

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117629 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 117629

Author(s):

Chen Chu ◽

Yixiang Zhu ◽

Cong Liu ◽

Renjie Chen ◽

Yingliu Yan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Air Pollution ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Birth Cohort ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Birth Cohort Study ◽

Fine Particulate

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Ambient Fine Particulate Matter, Nitrogen Dioxide, and Preterm Birth in New York City

Environmental Health Perspectives ◽

10.1289/ehp.1510266 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 124 (8) ◽

pp. 1283-1290 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Sarah Johnson ◽

Jennifer F. Bobb ◽

Kazuhiko Ito ◽

David A. Savitz ◽

Beth Elston ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Nitrogen Dioxide ◽

York City ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Fine Particulate

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Maternal exposure to fine particulate matter and preterm birth and low birth weight in Africa

Environment International ◽

10.1016/j.envint.2021.107053 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 160 ◽

pp. 107053

Author(s):

Jovine Bachwenkizi ◽

Cong Liu ◽

Xia Meng ◽

Lina Zhang ◽

Weidong Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Maternal Exposure ◽

Fine Particulate

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Effect of modes of transportation on commuters' exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in Chennai, India

Environmental Engineering Research ◽

10.4491/eer.2019.380 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 898-907 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Gokul Raj ◽

S. Karthikeyan

Keyword(s):

Particulate Matter ◽

Nitrogen Dioxide ◽

Urban Community ◽

Fine Particulate Matter ◽

Exposure Concentration ◽

Ambient Particulate Matter ◽

Fine Particulate ◽

The Mean ◽

Maximum Exposure ◽

Pm2.5 Concentration

Daily commuting increases level of contaminants inhaled by urban community and it is influenced by mode and time of commuting. In this study, the commuters’ exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was assessed during three modes of travel in six different road stretches of Chennai. The mean distance of road stretches was 25 km and the exposure to pollutants was assessed during peak hours and off-peak hours. The average travel duration was in the range of 39 to 91 min in motorbike, 83 to 140 min in car and 110 to 161 min in bus. Though there was variation on exposure to concentration in modes of transportation, the maximum exposure concentration of PM2.5 was observed as 709 μg/m3 in bus and the minimum exposure concentration was 29 μg/m3 in closed car. Similarly, the maximum exposure concentration of NO2 was observed to be 312 μg/m3 in bus and the minimum exposure concentration was 21 μg/m3 in car. The concentration of elements in PM2.5 was in the order of Si > Na > Ca > Al ≥ K > S ≥ Cd, with Si and Cd concentration as 60% and < 1% of the PM2.5 concentration.

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