Industrial air pollution is a major public health threat worldwide, affecting not only the body's respiratory system but also the cardiovascular and reproductive systems. In recent years, health experts have warned that some of the long-term repercussions of air pollution are asthma, heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. These pollution-driven medical conditions could also lead to death.
Yet, in light of new medical evidence, scientists found that air pollutants are also affecting newborn human babies. According to a December 2023 study led by researchers from the University of New Mexico, industrial air pollution is becoming a risk factor. The study authors said that hazardous airborne particles have been linked to low birth weight or infant weight below the average in the state of New Mexico.
In the past, health authorities have highlighted the potential disadvantages of newborns with a weight below the average new born weight of (between 5.8 pounds, 8 ounces and 8 pounds, 13 ounces). One of these advantages is that a baby's tiny body is weaker compared to a newborn with a normal weight. In addition, a weakened immune system and susceptibility to infection is another risk factor.
Air Pollution and Health
(Photo : Photo by Maxim Tolchinskiy on Unsplash)
Industrial air pollution, which comes from various sources such as motor vehicles and industrial facilities, contaminates both indoor and outdoor environments. It modifies the natural quality and balance of the atmosphere. Each year, air pollution is responsible for the deaths of approximately 7 million people globally, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Aside from humans, animals also suffer from hazardous chemicals or substances from air pollution, with health effects including diseases, birth defects, and lower reproductive rates. These pollutants, which can take the form of gases, liquid droplets, and solid particles, in the air, also harm the health of plants. Due to this threat, this type of environmental pollution can damage or destroy entire ecosystems.
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New Mexico's Low Birth Weight
In the study published in the Journal of Environmental Management in December 2023, researchers confirm there was a correlation between industrial air pollution and low birth weight in New Mexico, United States. The findings suggest that maternal exposure to air pollutants and particulate matter, including ozone, carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide can lead to low birth weight.
The University of New Mexico researchers and their colleagues from other institutions explained there is a reason behind the below-average infant weight in New Mexico for decades. The state, where 1 in 10 babies are affected by low birth weight, could be due to maternal exposure to industrial air pollution during pregnancy, the research team says.
Based on the results of the 2023 study, the mentioned air pollutants may be a significant contributor to low birth weight among human offspring, decreasing the chance of meeting the ideal average new born weight.
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