Air Pollution and Birth Outcomes: Health Impact and Economic Value Assessment in Spain.
Marcelle Virginia CantoMònica GuxensAnna García-AltésMaria José LópezMarc Marí-Dell'OlmoJavier García-PérezRebeca RamisPublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2023)
Air pollution is considered an ongoing major public health and environmental issue around the globe, affecting the most vulnerable, such as pregnant women and fetuses. The aim of this study is to estimate the health impact and economic value on birth outcomes, such as low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), small for gestational age (SGA), attributable to a reduction of PM 10 levels in Spain. Reduction based on four scenarios was implemented: fulfillment of WHO guidelines and EU limits, and an attributable reduction of 15% and 50% in annual PM 10 levels. Retrospective study on 288,229 live-born singleton children born between 2009-2010, using data from Spain Birth Registry Statistics database, as well as mean PM 10 mass concentrations. Our finding showed that a decrease in annual exposure to PM 10 appears to be associated with a decrease in the annual cases of LBW, SGA and PTB, as well as a reduction in hospital cost attributed to been born with LBW. Improving pregnancy outcomes by reducing the number of LBW up to 5% per year, will result in an estimate associated monetary saving of 50,000 to 7,000,000 euros annually. This study agrees with previous literature and highlights the need to implement, and ensure compliance with, stricter policies that regulate the maximum exposure to outdoor PM permitted in Spain, contributing to decreased environmental health risk, especially negative birth outcomes.
Keyphrases
- gestational age
- air pollution
- preterm birth
- particulate matter
- public health
- birth weight
- pregnant women
- health risk
- pregnancy outcomes
- lung function
- low birth weight
- healthcare
- heavy metals
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- systematic review
- emergency department
- climate change
- type diabetes
- electronic health record
- water soluble
- risk assessment
- human health
- adverse drug
- big data
- metabolic syndrome
- glycemic control
- body mass index
- health promotion
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- drug induced
- cystic fibrosis