A study by researchers from Emory University uncovered the link between premature childbirths and air pollution.
Researchers studied the biological process of pregnant women who were exposed to air pollution and observed that they could be at a higher risk of premature deliveries.
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats and a major contributor to climate change. As per WHO, around 7 million people die from air pollution each year, mainly from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The study published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal identified two substances 'cortexolone' and 'lysoPE(20:3)', involved in the relationship between short-term exposure to air pollution and an elevated risk of early births.
Experts highlighted disruptions in how proteins are digested and absorbed, vital to foetal development and immune function, which potentially serve as a link between exposure to air pollution and premature deliveries.
"The link between air pollution and premature birth has been well established, but for the first time we were able to look at the detailed pathway and specific fine particles to identify how they are reflected in the increased risk of adverse birth outcomes," lead author Donghai Liang, associate professor of environmental health at Emory University, said.
The study had 330 women participants, of which 66 women (20 per cent) delivered preterm babies and 54 women (16.4 per cent) delivered early-term babies. "We identified significant indirect effects of cortexolone and lysoPE(20:3) in mediating the relationship between PM2.5 and early births," mentioned the researchers.
The lead author also added that from a clinical intervention standpoint, it is critical to gain a better understanding of these pathways and molecules affected by pollution. In the future, we may be able to target some of these molecules to develop effective strategies or clinical interventions that could help reduce these adverse health effects.
