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Lifestyle

How Does Air Pollution Impact Pregnancy?


Air pollution is a definite concern for the well-being of all individuals, kids and adults alike. However, this danger is even more pronounced in the case of pregnant women. Air pollution during pregnancy can have several adverse effects on the mother and the unborn baby. If you consider that all foetuses derive their nutrition from their mothers, you will understand that everything the mother eats, drinks and breathes directly impacts the baby.  The question now arises, “What are the pollution risks during pregnancy?” Let’s find out!

How Air Pollution Impacts Pregnancy

An unborn baby gets its oxygen to breathe from the mother. Therefore, if the mother breathes in polluted air, it will adversely affect the foetus. Studies show that exposure to air pollution during the first few months of pregnancy or before conception can lead to premature birth. In addition to that, it can even result in low birth weight of the newborn as well as increase the risk of contracting illnesses at an early age. It is also noteworthy that babies with low birth weight are usually malnourished. In the same vein, they are much more likely to develop serious diseases in the long run, such as hypertension or high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. 

Particle Pollution Can Have Adverse Impacts On The Baby’s And Mother’s Health

Particle pollution refers to a combination of toxic liquid and solid particles that tend to float in the air. This type of pollution is the main cause of some of the major illnesses prevailing in children and adults today. This type of pollution often strikes pregnant women and their babies the hardest. Besides causing irritation in the eyes, throat and lungs, this toxic matter can even make it difficult to breathe. This means that if the mother has respiratory distress, the baby will not be able to breathe properly either. Moreover, while humans can still sneeze or cough the larger particles out of the body, it gets challenging to do the same with smaller particles which tend to get trapped inside our lungs, entering the bloodstream. 

Wrapping Up

In order to avoid any harm coming to the unborn child, mothers are recommended to use air purifiers if they live in excessively polluted areas. In any case, the first few months of pregnancy are vital, and all precautions must be taken to ensure that both the mother and the baby breathe in fresh and clean air at all times.

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