Kinkini Gupta
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Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : January 19, 2023 9:24 PM IST
Every year, almost a million babies are stillborn and air pollution has been cited as one of the main causes of this issue.
A study was conducted on the link between air pollution and its impacts on reproductive health. It was based on a global scale and it is the first analysis done to explore the reasons why exposure to pollution is causing millions of stillbirths every year. Experts state that the main cause of stillbirths could be because of exposure to particles that are smaller than 2.5 microns and the only way to reduce this rate and also improve maternal health is by reducing pregnant women's exposure to these pollutants. The number of fetal deaths has also been exceptionally high in low and middle income countries.
The study analyzed over 45,000 stillbirths and live births and found that PM2.5 exposure contributed to almost 40% of stillbirths in 137 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Their findings also revealed that women's risk of stillbirth due to pollution exposure increased with age.
According to the conclusion drawn by this study, almost 40 per cent of stillbirths of 137 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America were caused due to PM2.5 exposure. This data was reported after experts analyzed over 45,000 stillbirths and live births across countries.
Experts say that the biological mechanism underlying this link between PM2.5 exposure and stillbirths remains unclear. Authors have also put forth another explanation stating that, these pollutants could be crossing from the mother to the fetus through the placenta. This is what could cause embryonic damages. A study conducted in 2018 found that toxic particles had also penetrated to the organs of the fetus, like the lungs, brains and livers. Further, PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy could also reduce oxygen transfer to the fetus or cause placental abnormalities all possible causes of stillbirths.
The impact of air pollution or any other toxin is clearly different for men and women. If women are inhaling all these toxins, it will inevitably pass on to their offspring and that is a serious cause of concern when it comes to women's reproductive health.
Several health concerns are linked with air pollution and it includes, low birth weight, higher rate of miscarriages, premature birth and also other complications related to pregnancy and birth. Experts have conducted more than studies on this very subject and the have stated that there is a link between pollution and the increasing risk of stillbirths. However, the related disease burden has remained unclear, especially in LMICs where 98% of all are concentrated, the researchers noted.
