Association between early prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and birth defects: evidence from newborns in Xi’an, China

Wang, Lingling, Xiang, Xiaomei, Mi, Baibing, Song, Hui, Dong, Min, Zhang, Shuiping, Bi, Yuxue, Zhao, Yaling, Li, Qiang, Zhang, Qi, Zhang, Li, Yan, Hong, Wang, Duolao ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2788-2464 and Dang, Shaonong (2019) 'Association between early prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and birth defects: evidence from newborns in Xi’an, China'. Journal of Public Health, Vol 41, Issue 3, pp. 494-501.

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Abstract

Background
The aim of this study was to investigate an association between birth defects and exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particles ≤10 μm in an aerodynamic diameter (PM10) during early pregnancy in Xi’an, China.

Methods
Birth defect data were from the Birth Defects Monitoring System of Xi’an, and data on ambient air pollutants during 2010–15 were from the Xi’an Environmental Protection Bureau. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to investigate the relationship between birth defects and ambient air pollutants.

Results
Among the 8865 cases with birth defects analyzed, the overall incidence of birth defects was 117.33 per 10 000 infants. Ambient air pollutant exposure during the first trimester increased the risk of birth defects by 10.3% per 10 μg/m3 increment of NO2 and 3.4% per 10 μg/m3 increment of PM10. No significant association was found between birth defects and SO2. Moreover, NO2 increased risk of neural tube defects, congenital heart disease, congenital polydactyly, cleft palate, digestive system abnormalities and gastroschisis, and PM10 was associated with congenital heart disease and cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

Conclusions
Chinese women should avoid exposure to high levels of NO2 and PM10 during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	QS Anatomy > Embryology > QS 675 Congenital abnormalities WA Public Health > Air pollution > WA 750 Air sanitation and hygiene WA Public Health > Air pollution > WA 754 Pollution and pollutants (incl. tobacco pollution; passive smoking) WQ Obstetrics > Labor > WQ 330 Complications of labor
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy137
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Pubrouter
Depositing User:	Stacy Murtagh
Date Deposited:	30 Aug 2018 10:59
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2019 16:27
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/9213

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