Prenatal exposure to air pollution causes respiratory issues decades later

CHE RESEARCH BITES

By David Johnston, Nicolau Martin Bassols, and Sonja de New

24 June, 2024

Increased levels of air pollution threaten the long-term health of vulnerable populations, including unborn babies. To estimate their future health risks, we travelled back 71 years.

As the climate crisis is unfolding, concerns about the lasting consequences of air pollution exposure are intensifying. In Australia, incidents like the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires abruptly increase air pollution levels, with potentially long- term harmful health effects.

Although we know that the gestational phase is pivotal for human development, we know little about the impacts of prenatal exposure to air pollution on long-term health. To gain some insights into these future impacts, we travelled to 1950s London.

The Great London Smog was a severe air pollution event that blanketed London for five days in December 1952. By comparing individuals conceived before and after this event, inside and outside of London, and analysing hospital records from 1997 to 2020, we were able to demonstrate that in-utero pollution exposure caused significant and respiratory health issues later in life.

Interestingly, no notable effects were found on other health dimensions, such as circulatory health, cancer, nervous system conditions, and mental health.

The impact on respiratory health was consistent across both genders and independent of the economic status of birth areas. The most pronounced effects were seen in people exposed during the first trimester, with no noticeable impact from air pollution exposure after birth.

As we grapple with the ongoing challenges of climate change, these findings highlight the need for further research to understand the impacts of pollution to protect future generations.

Find the original article here: Martin-Bassols,N., de New, S.C.,  Shields, M.A & Johnston, D.W. (2024). Effect of In utero Exposure to Air Pollution on Adulthood Hospitalizations Journal of Urban Health, 101(1), 92–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-023-00803-1

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