Impact of Ambient Air Pollutants and Extreme Temperatures on Pregnancy Outcomes: A Clinical-Epidemiological Case-Control Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v10i2.2864Keywords:
Ambient atmospheric pollutants, Climate change , Particulate matter , Pregnancy outcomes , Preterm birthAbstract
Background: The interaction between environmental issues and maternal-fetal health is a pressing social health issue, which is intensified by climatic change. The major risk factors in relation to negative pregnancy outcomes in Iraq are air pollutants and temperature changes. Objective: To investigate the impact of environmental pollution and extreme temperatures on pregnancy outcomes (preterm birth and congenital anomalies). Methods: The study was a case-control study involving 180 pregnant women (90 cases, 90 controls) in Basrah Maternity and Children's Hospital. The exposure to pollutants and heat was measured using the GIS and multivariate logistic regression models. Results: In the case group, PM2.5 (46.4µg/m³) and NO₂ (30.0µg/m³) were significantly higher as compared to controls. The statistical analysis revealed that each one-unit increase in PM2.5 increased the likelihood of adverse pregnancy outcomes by 8%, and NO2 increased the likelihood by 20%. Importantly, a one-degree Celsius increase in maximum temperature increased the risk by 53%. The first and the third trimesters were confirmed as the critical periods of extreme environmental sensitivity. Exposure to pollutants and heat in these trimesters had close relations with preterm birth and congenital anomalies and a synergistic impact of high temperatures and toxicity of pollutants on increasing health risks. Conclusions: There is a strong relationship between ambient atmospheric pollutants and extreme heat and the risks of poor pregnancy in Basrah, and those environmental and health programs should be implemented timely to stem the effects on pregnant women.
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