Weekly prenatal PM_2.5 and NO₂ exposures in preterm, early term, and full term infants: Decrements in birth weight and critical windows of susceptibility.

Previous studies have observed associations between birth weight and prenatal air pollution exposure, but there is not consensus on timing of critical windows of susceptibility.We estimated the difference in birth weight among preterm, early term and full term births associated with weekly exposure to PM_2.5 and NO₂ throughout gestation.We included all singleton live births in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan (United States) between 2007 and 2012 occurring at or after 32 weeks gestational age (n = 497,897). Weekly ambient PM_2.5 and NO₂ concentrations were estimated at maternal residences using 1-km gridded data from ensemble-based models. We utilized a distributed lag nonlinear model to estimate the difference in birth weight associated with weekly exposures from the last menstrual period (week 0) through 31 weeks gestation for preterm births; through 36 weeks gestation for early term births; and through 38 weeks gestation for full term births.In single-pollutant models, a 5 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 exposure was associated with a reduction in birth weight among preterm births (-37.1 g [95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.8 g, -13.5 g]); early term births (-13.5 g [95% CI: 26.2 g, -0.67 g]); and full term births (-8.23 g [95% CI: 15.8 g, -0.68 g])]. In single-pollutant models, a 10 ppb increase in NO₂ exposure was associated with a -11.7 g (95% CI: 14.46 g, -8.92 g) decrement in birth weight among full term births only. In models co-adjusted for PM_2.5 and NO₂, PM_2.5 exposure was associated with reduced birth weight among preterm births (-36.9 g [95% CI: 61.9 g, -11.8 g]) and NO₂ exposure was associated with reduced birth weight among full term births (-11.8 g [95% CI: 14.7 g, -8.94 g]). The largest decrements in birth weight were associated with PM_2.5 exposure between approximately 10 and 26 weeks of pregnancy; for NO₂ exposure, the largest decrements in birth weight in full term births were associated with exposure between weeks 6-18.We observed the largest and most persistent adverse associations between PM_2.5 exposure and birth weight in preterm infants, and between NO₂ exposure and birth weight in full term infants. Exposure during the first half of pregnancy had a greater impact on birthweight.

Duke Scholars

Author Mercedes A Bravo Duke Global Health Institute