Researchers have found that an estimated 349,681 pregnancy losses each year in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are associated with poor air quality.
But the study is believed to be the first to quantify the impact of surrounding pollution on pregnancy damage in South Asia – one of the most polluted regions on Earth – and the authors say their findings are important for public and maternal improvement. Health, especially in low-income countries.
“South Asia has the highest incidence of pregnancy loss globally and is one of the most PM2.5 polluted areas in the world. Our findings suggest that poor air quality may be responsible for the significant load of pregnancy loss in the region, providing more fitness. To take urgent action to meet the dangerous level of pollution, “said Ava Tao Zhou, an assistant professor at Peking University in China.
PM2.5 is a contamination of small particles that can enter the lungs deep when inhaled and enter the bloodstream. Particles made from dust, dirt, soot or smoke, originate from construction sites, unpaved roads, farms, smokestacks or fires and may contain a variety of chemicals. But most of the particles are a mixture of pollutants from power plant, industrial and vehicle emissions.
Researchers focused on these tiny pollution particles. They found that between 2000 and 2016, 7.1% of pregnancy losses in South Asia were caused by mothers being exposed to air pollution, exceeding India’s current air quality standard of 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
The study found that expectant mothers or older women in rural areas were at higher risk than younger mothers in urban areas. And the northern plains of India and Pakistan are more prone to pregnancy loss associated with air pollution.
To reach their findings, the researchers estimated the exposure to contaminants during pregnancy using data from domestic health surveys and satellites from 1998 to 2016. They then created a model Dell that tested how a woman’s risk of pregnancy loss from exposure to pollution increased, taking into account maternal age, temperature and humidity, seasonal variations, and long-term trends in pregnancy loss.
The study found that 34,197 women lost their pregnancies, including 27,480 miscarriages and 6,717 stillbirths. Of the pregnancy losses, 77% were from India, 12% from Pakistan, and 11% from Bangladesh.
The authors say that poor air quality can increase the burden of pregnancy loss in low- and middle-income countries, so improving pollution levels can reduce miscarriages and stillbirths and lead to drastic improvements in gender equality.
“We know that losing a pregnancy can have psychological, physical and economic effects on women, including increased risk of postnatal depressive disorder, infant mortality during subsequent pregnancies, and increased pregnancy-related costs, such as labor losses.” Co-author of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Dr.
The study warns that more research is needed to establish the causality between pollution and pregnancy damage because they said the survey data is subject to bias. Researchers also failed to distinguish between natural pregnancy damage and abortion. They also note that the loss of natural pregnancy due to stigma or neglect due to early miscarriage is being reported.
.
