We investigated the association between outdoor air pollutants exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy, and growth and cardio-metabolic risk at four years of age, and evaluated the mediating role of birth weight. This comprehensive study of many growth and cardio-metabolic risk related outcomes suggests that air pollution exposure during pregnancy may be associated with delays in physical growth in the early years after birth. These findings imply that pregnancy exposure to air pollutants has a lasting effect on growth after birth and require follow-up at later child ages.

Published May 1, 2020

Fossati, S., Valvi, D., Martinez, D., Cirach, M., Estarlich, M., Fernández-Somoano, A., Guxens, M., Iñiguez, C., Irizar, A., Lertxundi, A., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., Tamayo, I., Vioque, J., Tardón, A., Sunyer, J., & Vrijheid, M. (2020). Prenatal air pollution exposure and growth and cardio-metabolic risk in preschoolers. Environment International, 138, 105619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105619