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Pregnant women and their developing fetuses are among the most vulnerable to the adverse health effects of global warming. In a systematic review of 68 studies from 2007 to 2019, researchers evaluated the association between ambient heat, air pollution (defined as fine particulate matter <2.5µm in diameter [PM2.5]), and obstetric outcomes including preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and stillbirth (SB). The studies encompassed a variety of designs, different timing and exposure, and various adverse comorbidities and outcomes. In addition, types of air pollution components and magnitude of heat exposure were heterogeneous.
In aggregate, >32 million U.S. births were analyzed (average per study, 565,485). A total of 57 studies showed …