New study finds alarming reason many babies are admitted to NICUs: 'Risks even at the low exposure levels'

Exposure to air pollution late in pregnancy dramatically increases the likelihood of newborns needing intensive care, according to a new study. 

What's happening?

A U.S.-based research team linked the 2018 National Birth Registry neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission data for one-baby pregnancies to satellite and modeled air pollution levels in the months leading up to the births.

The team found that higher ambient levels of two common traffic-related pollutants, nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter, increased the likelihood of NICU admissions significantly — by 30-35% for nitrogen dioxide and by 11-22% for fine particulate matter.

"A major strength of our study was that we conducted a comprehensive population-based examination of exposure to air pollutants across seasons for the entire U.S. with approximately 3.6 million singleton births in 2018," the study's authors said. "Compared with global levels, the U.S. has relatively low air pollution, but the enhanced resolution of our exposure assessment allowed us to demonstrate risks even at the low exposure levels experienced."

Why is this study important?

This study adds to a growing body of research examining how different pollutants affect pregnant women and their babies.

For instance, U.S. Right to Know, a nonprofit public health research group that summarized the newest study, pointed out that another 2019 paper discovered that exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the week before birth was linked to a 16% to 147% higher risk of the babies having to stay longer in the NICU.

Likewise, a recent global study found that exposure to airborne toxic particles during pregnancy increases the risk of newborns being underweight. The researchers also identified "stark regional variations" regarding the impacts of pollutants on fetal development.

Meanwhile, several other studies have revealed that exposure to microplastics also threatens healthy pregnancies. For instance, one research team discovered a possible correlation between the ingestion of these tiny plastic particles and gestational diabetes mellitus.

What's being done about air pollution?

Reducing the amount of gas-guzzling cars on the road can help, as they produce pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, and formaldehyde, according to Washington's Department of Ecology. This tactic can also help us curb the overheating of our planet, as carbon dioxide is a major contributor to climate change.

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Plenty of places around the world are working on such tactics. Wales is already working to reduce roadway traffic by banning most new roadway projects. Meanwhile, Scotland is turning many urban neighborhoods into "20-minute cities" to give residents better access to public transit. One New York City law will require all Lyfts and Ubers to be EVs by 2030.

You can make a difference by changing how you get around, too. Try cycling more, using public transit when available, or walking.

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