Air Pollution Contributes to Low Birth Weight

Fine particulate matter (<2.5 µm; PM_2.5) is a major air pollutant that results from the burning of fossil fuels; however, the full extent of its health effects is still being investigated. Researchers assessed the relation between exposure to airborne fine particulate matter and other atmospheric pollutants and risk for low birth weight (<2500 g) in full-term infants born to >74,000 women who participated in 14 studies in 12 European countries between 1994 and 2011.

After adjustment for confounders, risk for low birth weight rose significantly when the concentration of PM_2.5 increased by 5 µg/m³ (odds ratio, 1.18). Increases of similar magnitude were associated with other pollutants as well as with traffic density on the street nearest to th…