Even before they Begins to Breathe, Babies can be harmed by Air pollution, Scientists Say

Air pollution in the US may be the causing of thousands of premature births each year, a New Study Suggests

Exposure to particulate matter has been involved in all types of adverse health outcomes and is believed to be responsible for millions of premature deaths each year. (Representational Image)

Air pollution in the US may be the cause of thousands of premature births each year, a new study suggests - costing the nation billions of dollars along the way. The study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, lends support to a growing body of research pointing to the grim health consequences of air pollution around the world and its spectacular economic burdens.

The new study focuses on one type of pollution known as fine particulate matter - tiny particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, which can be emitted by traffic, factories and other industrial activities. Exposure to particulate matter has been involved in all types of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiovascular problems, and is believed to be responsible for millions of premature deaths each year. Now, growing evidence also must be linked to problems related to pregnancy and childbirth, including preterm birth, said Leonardo Trasande, associate professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine, New York University professor.

The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood, but it is believed that exposure to air pollution can cause inflammation of the placenta during pregnancy, which can ultimately lead to premature birth. Preterm birth - which usually is defined as the delivery more than three weeks before term - is associated with a variety of medical problems, including an increased risk of infant mortality, breathing and feeding difficulties, paralysis cerebral increased risk of developing other diseases and developmental delays that can lead to cognitive impairment throughout life.

What is less clear are the economic implications of these complications - and that's an important factor to consider in discussions about air pollution, which is often divided into two parts: the costs of pollution abatement which generally fall on the shoulders of those responsible for its creation in the first place, compared to the social costs of polluting industries continue.

"So we decided to quantify the burden and costs of preterm labor that may ultimately be traced to fine particles disease," Trasande said.

Trasande, together with colleagues from the University of New York Patrick Malecha and Teresa Attina, took data on air pollution from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and data on preterm birth from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They used previous research on the risk of preterm birth associated with exposure to particles to estimate how many premature babies were caused by exposure to pollution in 2010. They reached the conclusion that more than 3 percent of all premature that year births could be attributed to fine particulate matter - almost 16,000 in total.

The researchers then turned their attention to the costs associated with these premature births. Using a report from the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine 'Science, they concluded that direct medical costs came to about $ 760 million in 2010. Far more weight, however, were the costs associated with loss of economic productivity.

A frequent consequence of preterm birth is the appearance of developmental disabilities. The researchers were interested in estimating economic losses resulting from these disabilities - essentially economic productivity that has been lost throughout the life of an individual as a result of cognitive impairments and decreased ability to work .

Previous studies have drawn connections between preterm birth, lower IQ and lifetime earnings of an individual. Based on that research, Trasande and his colleagues calculated that more than $ 4 billion were lost in 2010 as a result of reduced economic productivity. In total, medical expenses and lost economic potential add up to just over $ 5 billion.

While these are national estimates, researchers found that the effects were more severe in some parts of the country than others.

The highest percentage of premature births attributable to exposure to pollution is generally found to occur in large urban areas, and was generally higher in the Ohio Valley, Southern California and the Southeast River and the city of New York, southeastern Pennsylvania and Chicago.

"The implications also spread beyond the US to other parts of the world where it is likely to be a substantial problem of air pollution," Trasande said. "To the extent that exposures in third world countries where regulations are much more limited, it is likely that air pollution contributes more substantially with preterm birth."

The results highlight the importance of stricter pollution regulations to public health and the economy, said Bruce Lanphear, professor of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in Canada. He referred to a series of concrete actions that could be taken to address the problem, such as improving public transport in cities to reduce traffic emissions and refraining from building schools or residential developments near major sources contamination.

But he also noted that when it comes to premature births, there are a variety of other environmental influences, in addition to the fine particles are likely to have an effect, including lead and mercury exposure.

"It makes no sense to face a risk factor, such as air pollution against another," he said. "Instead we must recognize that premature birth is the result of cumulative exposure to a number of risk factors."

Still, there is value in specific studies such as of Trasande said. "They estimate that accounts for air pollution by about three percent of all premature births, which is quite considerable," he said, adding that this kind of concentrated studies can help draw attention to changes in the specific policies that need to be done - that when all combined, can have a significant impact on public health.