Asthma Risk for Kids Linked to Mother's Exposure to Pollution: Study

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Babies born from mothers exposed to air pollution have high chances of developing asthma before the age of five, according to a new study. Researchers recommend that women should steer clear of air pollution during pregnancy.

The findings published in the European Respiratory Journal suggested that the mothers' exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy increases the chances of babies to develop asthma by 25 percent, Med Page Today reports. It's one of the largest population-based birth studies to examine pollution differences. Researchers said that this increase in probability is found on babies whose mothers lived near freeways during pregnancy.

For the study, researchers analyzed more than 65,000 children born in Vancouver from 1999 until 2002 to identify the link between asthma and their mothers' exposure to air pollution during the pregnancy. According to Tech Times, children were monitored for 10 years through linked administrative health databases.

The mothers' exposure to air pollution was determined based on a number of factors such as smog levels of major roads and cities. The team used land-use regression models which linked traffic-related air pollution with the mother's home address.

Moreover, the team focused on traffic-related air contaminants like nitric oxide, nitrogen oxide, black carbon and fine particulate matter. They measured air pollutants from monitoring stations near the mothers' residence.

The results showed that children with low birth weights were found to have greater asthma risk compared to those who had normal weight during birth. Preschool-age children who weighed less than 5.5 lbs at birth consistently showed a higher risk for asthma associated with air pollution exposure. This also goes true for babies born prematurely, reports Med Page Today.

Those children who developed asthma were found to be born from younger mothers who had shorter gestation periods. The children were not likely to have been breastfed and lived in poor conditions.

The average age when asthma is first diagnosed is 2.6 years old. More so, children diagnosed with asthma between ages six and ten have not shown any consistent asthma risk associated with air pollution.

According to researchers, these findings are universal. The sudden increase of asthma development is even found in cities where air pollution levels are comparatively low. Meaning, regardless if the city has low levels of pollution, there's still high risk for the baby to develop asthma if the mother is still constantly exposed to pollution.

"Our study results highlight the importance of exposure to pollution while babies are still in the womb," lead author Hind Sbihi from the University of British Columbia was quoted by Tech Times.

Sbihi suggested several measures to lower the risk of asthma in babies during pregnancy like installing high-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA filters) at home. Pregnant women are also advised to stay clear of busy roads when taking for a walk. It also suggested checking air quality online before heading out.

To know more about asthma in children, check out the video below: