Context: Poor air quality is associated with a considerable proportion of pregnancy loss in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, according to a modelling study to be published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

• An estimated 349,681 pregnancy losses per year in South Asia were associated with exposure to PM2.5 concentrations that exceeded India’s air quality standard (more than 40 µg/m³), accounting for 7% of annual pregnancy loss in the region from 2000-2016
• Previous studies have suggested a link between air pollution and pregnancy loss in other regions, but this is the first study to quantify the burden in South Asia, which is the most populous region in the world and has the highest rate of pregnancy loss.

How air pollution can cause pregnancy loss?

• Fine particles have been reported to cross the blood placenta barrier and harm the embryo directly.
• Exposure to poor air quality can cause disorders such as inflammation, oxidative stress and blood pressure elevation which can act as factors to increase the risk of pregnancy loss.
• Gestational exposure to PM2.5 was associated with an increased likelihood of pregnancy loss, and this remained significant after adjusting for other factors.
• Each increase in 10 µg/m³ was estimated to increase a mother’s risk of pregnancy loss by 3%.
• The increase in risk was greater for mothers from rural areas or those who became pregnant at an older age, compared to younger mothers from urban areas.
• Although WHO’s guidelines aims for a safer level of air pollution, the India’s standard is a more realistic target level, given the high average levels of air pollution in the region and the need to balance practical governance and public health.

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/south-asia-air-pollution-pregnancy-loss/

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