Also discussed here: Air pollution is more harmful than SMOKING for pregnant women: Exhaust fumes could cause dangerously high blood pressure(Ellie Zolfagharifard, Daily Mail, Feb. 17, 2014)
Today we review the harmful effects of air pollution on the development of fetuses during pregnancy. Results indicate not only that air pollution including carbon monoxide from car exhaust causes hypertension in pregnant women which leads to higher blood pressure and harmful effects on their child to be born and throughout their life in terms of lower intelligence. The lessons learned from dealing with cigarette smoking after decades of warnings now need to be applied to vehicle emissions which are even worse.
Key Quotes:
“exposure to high levels of air pollution during early pregnancy and the full gestational period was associated with increased prevalence of HDP [hypertensive disorders of pregnancy]”
“Hypertension (high blood pressure), in particular, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, causing a lot of problems for the mother and fetus, including pre-term delivery”
“the worst offending pollutants include two specific types of particulate matter; carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide…. Sulphur dioxide is emitted from power plants and industries, while most carbon monoxide is produced by car exhaust”
“Exposure to air pollutants throughout the first two trimesters of pregnancy increased women’s risk of developing one of these conditions “researchers say more air pollution control is necessary to prevent dangerous complications in pregnant women and babies.”
“A study of pensioners found those whose mothers had high blood pressure scored an average of 4.36 points lower on IQ tests than those who did not”
“Our study suggests that even declines in thinking abilities in old age could have originated during the prenatal period when the majority of the development of brain structure and function occurs”
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