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International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 2/2021

01-02-2021 | Gestational Diabetes | Original Article

Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ahvaz, Iran: a generalized additive model

Authors: Maryam Dastoorpoor, Narges Khanjani, Asghar Moradgholi, Reihaneh Sarizadeh, Maria Cheraghi, Fatemeh Estebsari

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 2/2021

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Abstract

Objective

There is some evidence about the short-term effects of air pollutants on adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the association between air pollutants and spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and macrosomia in Ahvaz, which is one of the most polluted cities in the Middle East.

Methods

Data on adverse pregnancy outcomes and air pollutants including ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particles with a diameter of less than 10 µm (PM10) and particles with a diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were inquired from the Health Department of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency of Khuzestan Province for the years 2008–2018. A time series analysis using the generalized additive model (GAM) with up to 6-day lags was used.

Results

The results showed that the SO2 pollutant on 0, 1, 3, 4, and 6-day lags and PM10 on lag 0 had direct and significant associations with spontaneous abortion. NO, NO2 and CO on 0–6-day lags, and O3 on 6-day lags showed direct and significant associations with preeclampsia. NO and NO2 pollutants showed significant and direct associations with gestational diabetes, during 0- and 6-day lags. NO on 0-, 3- and 4-day lags, CO in all 0–6-day lags and PM2.5 on 1-, 3-, 5-, and 6-day lags showed direct and significant associations with macrosomia. None of the pollutants showed significant associations with stillbirth or gestational hypertension.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that some air pollutants are associated with spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and macrosomia. This study further emphasizes the need to control ambient air pollution.
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Metadata
Title
Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ahvaz, Iran: a generalized additive model
Authors
Maryam Dastoorpoor
Narges Khanjani
Asghar Moradgholi
Reihaneh Sarizadeh
Maria Cheraghi
Fatemeh Estebsari
Publication date
01-02-2021
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 2/2021
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01577-8

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