Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : October 22, 2020 5:27 PM IST
Air pollution exposure during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and pre-term birth. @Shutterstock
The national capital is grappling with another issue amidst the COVID-19 pandemic rising air pollution due to stubble burning. Inhaling of polluted air can lead to a number of severe problems such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and even chronic lung diseases. An estimated seven million people die due to air pollution worldwide every year, according to the World Health organization (WHO).
Infants and very young children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution because they breathe faster and their brains, lungs, and immune systems are still developing. Studies have warned that babies living in areas with high levels of air pollution have a greater risk of death than those surrounded by cleaner air. In fact, a new global study has revealed that outdoor and household particulate matter pollution contributed to the death of more than 1,16,000 Indian infants in their first month of life in 2019.
Over half of these deaths were associated with outdoor PM2.5 and others were linked to the use of solid fuels such as charcoal, wood, and animal dung for cooking.
The study is believed to be the first-ever comprehensive analysis of air pollution's global impact on newborns.
Details of the study results were mentioned in the annual State of Global Air 2020 report published by the Health Effects Institute (HEI), an independent, nonprofit research institute funded jointly by the US Environmental Protection Agency, industry, foundations, and development banks.
Here are some key points highlighted in the reported:
Overall, the report concluded that air pollution has now become the largest risk factor for death among all health risks.
A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that particulate air pollution exposure during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and pre-term birth. Both these conditions are associated with serious complications, which contribute to a vast majority of deaths in the neonatal period (4,55,000 in 2019 as per the State of Global Air 2020 report). So, pregnant women should also try to reduce exposure to air pollution. Below are some tips to protect your baby from indoor air pollution:
There is also a growing concern that exposure to high levels of air pollution during winter months could exacerbate the effects of Covid-19.
With inputs from IANS
