Health Alert: Air Pollution Harms Pregnant Women, Babies In Utero, Lowers IQ

Pregnant women exposed to air pollution from trucks, cars and other port sources have a much greater risk of delivering premature babies and developing preeclampsia, says recent research from scientists at several University of California campuses.

Up until now, air pollution from trucks, cars, and other port sources have focused on asthma has been linked to respiratory illness, cancer risk rates, premature deaths, low birth-weight babies and premature deliveries. This study is the first that has linked air pollution and preeclampsia, a serious illness which can endanger the lives of both mom and baby.

Compared to those that live in the least polluted areas, Women who live in areas of highest traffic and air pollution are 128% more likely (that’s more than 2 times more likely) to deliver a very premature baby—those are babies under 30 weeks of gestation, and often under 3 lbs at birth. Preeclampsia increased 42% for women in the highest traffic areas.

And if that weren’t bad enough, another study finds that air pollution exposure before birth is linked to lower IQ scores in childhood—evidence that pollution harms brain development while in utero.

What to do?

Tracey Woodruff, director of University of California San Francisco’s Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, notes that avoiding air pollution is impossible and so “pregnant women should be aware of the risks and advocate for the kinds of [government] actions that reduce overall exposure to air pollution.”

Find out about your own exposure to air pollution and the risks to your health. Yes, do what you can do individually to reduce your dirty footprint. And, work with us to push for cleaner (& even better, cleanest available) trucks and cars on our roads. If we can reduce pollution from the biggest polluters, then we’re all protected--babies included.