Infants may be 4% to 147% more likely to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit if their mothers were exposed to high levels of air pollution the week before they were born, depending on the type of pollution, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health researchers. While the reason is unclear, researchers theorize that pollutants may increase inflammation, leading to impaired blood vessel growth, particularly in the placenta, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the developing fetus, NIH said. “Short-term exposure to most types of air pollutants may increase the risk for NICU admission,” said Pauline Mendola, who led the study. “If our findings are confirmed, they suggest that pregnant women may want to consider limiting their time outdoors when air quality advisories indicate unhealthy conditions.”

Related News Articles

Headline
A blog by Julia Resnick, AHA senior director of health outcomes and care transformation, describes a new project with the Commonwealth Fund that will explore…
Headline
Speakers interested in leading conversations and collaborations at the AHA’s new Healthier Together Conference are advised to submit a content proposal by Sept…
Blog
Every pregnant woman deserves access to high-quality maternal care — from conception through postpartum. Yet in parts of the country, some of that care is…
Blog
In this insightful conversation hosted by Nancy Myers of the American Hospital Association, we explore how Owensboro Health (Ky.) and CredibleMind are…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 26 responded to a request for information as part of the introduction of the Healthy Moms and Babies Act, bipartisan legislation that seeks to…
Headline
The AHA will accept applications through Oct. 14 for the 2026 AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award. This award recognizes hospitals and health systems that demonstrate…