Particulate matter (PM10) exposure, birth and fetal-placental weight and umbilical arterial pH: results from a prospective study

Objective: This prospective study aims to analyze the relation between particulate matter (PM10) exposure during pregnancy and birth weight (BW), placental weight (PW) and umbilical artery PH (UAPH). Study design: Population included 3614 women born in Italy, living in Lombardia Region, consecutively admitted to the Clinica Mangiagalli for an elective cesarean section from January 2004 through December 2006. Outdoor air quality data were provided by the Department of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency and obtained by a network of fixed monitoring stations representatively distributed in eight geographical areas. Results and conclusion: Birth weight was negatively associated with exposure to PM10 concentration during the first trimester of pregnancy (mean change −22.2 g, 95%CI −8.7 to −35.7, p = 0.0013). Placental weight and umbilical artery PH were not associated with exposure to PM10 concentration. Fetal weight was negatively associated with exposure to PM10 concentration during the first trimester of pregnancy.