Maternal Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Pregnancy Complications in Victoria, Australia

Shannon M. Melody, Karen Wills, Luke D. Knibbs, Jane Ford, Alison Venn and Fay Johnston
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Shannon M. Melody: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Karen Wills: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Luke D. Knibbs: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia
Jane Ford: Clinical and Population Perinatal Health Research, Kolling Institute, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia
Alison Venn: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
Fay Johnston: Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: The relationship between maternal exposure to ambient air pollution and pregnancy complications is not well characterized. We aimed to explore the relationship between maternal exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and placental abruption. Using administrative data, we defined a state-wide cohort of singleton pregnancies born between 1 March 2012 and 31 December 2015 in Victoria, Australia. Annual average NO 2 and PM 2.5 was assigned to maternal residence at the time of birth. 285,594 singleton pregnancies were included. An IQR increase in NO 2 (3.9 ppb) was associated with reduced likelihood of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (RR 0.89; 95%CI 0.86, 0.91), GDM (RR 0.92; 95%CI 0.90, 0.94) and placental abruption (RR 0.81; 95%CI 0.69, 0.95). Mixed observations and smaller effect sizes were observed for IQR increases in PM 2.5 (1.3 µg/m 3 ) and pregnancy complications; reduced likelihood of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (RR 0.95; 95%CI 0.93, 0.97), increased likelihood of GDM (RR 1.02; 95%CI 1.00, 1.03) and no relationship for placental abruption. In this exploratory study using an annual metric of exposure, findings were largely inconsistent with a priori expectations and further research involving temporally resolved exposure estimates are required.

Keywords: air pollution; pregnancy; gestational diabetes mellitus; preeclampsia; placental abruption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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