OMI tropospheric column no2for all seasons in 2018 (a) with corresponding nicu admission adjusted odds ratios (aor) and 95% confidence intervals (95% ci) where the colors are the colors reposure IVed PM2.5 for all Seasons in 2018 ( B) With Nicu Admission Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) Corresponding to Each Quintille Exposure a Month Before Birth (Denoted by the Color Change). Credit: Scientific reports (2025). Doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-84755-9
Air pollution caused by auto emissions, wildfires and other sources is problems for many people. It’s of Particular Concern for Pregnant People due to the impact pollutants can have on the fetus, especially in the final month before birth.
A new study from the university at buffalo offers insight into air pollution’s effects during this vulnerable time by measuring neonatal intensive care unit (Nicu) Admissions and Satellite-Based AAR Pollutes.
The Researchers focused on Common Pollutants, Such as Nitrogen Dioxide (No2), which is caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, Industrial processes and power plants, and PM2.5Which refers to fin in inhalable particles with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller. They also Studid Ozone (O3), which is a secondary pollutant that is formed from oxygen and other gases in the presence of sunlight.
The findings, Published in the journey Scientific reportsshow that newborns exposed in the last month of pregnancy to higher levels of no2 Have a 30–35% Higher Risk of Nicu Admission and an 11–22% Increased Risk Associated with PM2.5,
“Our Findings Highlight The Critical Impact of Air Pollution DURINGS Er Levels, “Says the Study’s First Author, Yohane Va Phiri, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research associate in the department of epidemiology and environmental health in UB’s school of public health and health professionals.
Exposure to Air Pollution during pregnancy has been linked to Several Adverse Neonatal Outcomes Including Birth Defects, Preterm Delivery and Altered Fetal Growth, According to PHRIII.
“While Our Findings are not causal, limiting direct inference, they support local and national initiatives aimed at further reviewing Air Pollution and Improving AIR Quality,” He Said. “Such Efforts Cold Ultimately Benefit Pregnant Women by Minimizing Exposure to Harmful Pollutants and Reducing Associated Neonatal Health Risks.”
Despite Advancements in Maternal and Child Health Care, Nicu Admissions Remain High in the Us, with 8.1% of infants admitted in 2018, the year on which the Study is focused. And while the us has relatively low air pollution levels compared to other counties, air pollution’s impact on nicu admisions remissions remains remains an underestudiided area, according to Phiri.
The study, he adds, was designed to assess the impact of air pollution exposure on Nicu admissions As that Lack Ground-Based Monitoring, Such as Rural Parts of the country.
The Research Team Grouped Data by Regions of the Us For Example, The Great Plains Area Saw a Lower Risk of Nicu Admissions, A Finding That That Cold Be Atributed to the Fact That The Risk is indemated Al Parts of the Country Are Transferred to a nicu only for Severe Complications due to Limited Access to such units in these areas.
Findings varied by pollutants and geographic region.
“We Saw the Strongest Risks with no2 And Intermediate Risks with PM2.5.
Geographically, The Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Regions Had the Highest Odds of Nicu Admission due to no2 Exposure. For PM2.5Seasonal variations were noted, with persisted risks along the west coast and in the southeast. Summer Saw Widespread Risks, While Winter Risks Were Highest in the Northeast, Phiri Said.
The Research Team Included Senior Author Pauline Mendola, Ph.D., Chair and Professor, and Jing Nie, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor and Research Scientist, BOTH OF A.P. Health at UB; And Researchers from the University of Maryland and the University of Massachusetts Amhersts.
More information:
Yohane Vincent Abero Phiri etc. Scientific reports (2025). Doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-84755-9
Citation: Air Pollution Exposure in Final Month of Pregnancy Increases Nicu Admission RISK (2025, February 13) Retrieved 13 February 2025 from
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