Pregnancy and Pollution
Traffic Pollution Affects Unborn Babies Development
The results of a study released this week have alarming news. It’s long been suspected that traffic fumes affect unborn babies, but now a large study has shown that mothers who were exposed to higher levels of traffic pollution in early and late pregnancy were more likely to have low birth weight babies who did not grow as they should in the womb.
Mothers who lived near busy streets and freeways were found to be more at risk of low birth weight babies. The authors of the study say that it’s not a definitive conclusion and that there might be some other factors other than pollution involved, but it still makes for worry for any pregnant woman living near a highway.
While moving house is not an option for many of us, anyone who is planning to move house can take proximity to major roads into consideration when choosing a new home.
As well as the effect on unborn babies, children living near freeways are more likely to have respiratory problems. Living near a freeway also negatively affects lung development in children.
If you already live near a major road, there are things you can do to reduce the level of pollutants in our home. Air cleaners or air filters can reduce the amount of small particle pollution generated by vehicles, suspected to be one of the culprits in the study. Gaseous pollutants are harder to remove inside, but some research suggests that houseplants can filter and remove chemicals from the air and improve indoor air quality.
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