New Study Says Pollution Particles Can Reach The Fetus In The Womb. One More Reason Why We Need Stricter Regulations On Air Quality
I honestly believe that when a woman is pregnant she is the most vulnerable. From her health to the baby’s health, everything is at risk and so, to-be parents go through a lot of preparations and precautions to make sure that both – the mother and the baby – are healthy. However, after taking a lot of care, there are still certain things that we really can’t control – like the external environment – and that very thing can be extremely dangerous. Wondering how? Well, a recent study conducted at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and Hasselt University in Belgium showed that air pollution particles can reach the fetus in the womb.
Experts from the University of Aberdeen and Hasselt University, that worked on this new study, found for the first time that pollution particles can reach the fetus in the womb. This discovery was extremely concerning as key organ development takes place when the baby is growing in the mother’s uterus.
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After examining 60 mothers and their babies in Aberdeen and the Grampian region in Scotland, and after analyzing tissue samples from 36 fetuses that had been aborted, the researchers found traces of “black carbon particles” also known as soot particles – in the umbilical cord blood. This find showed how the pollution particles can cross the placenta.
The study also showed that pollution and soot particles were present in all mother and newborn babies. As per reports, the study discovered that the level of particles found depends on the amount of air pollution the mother is exposed to during pregnancy. These black carbon particles were found in livers, lungs, brains, and tissues as well.
Also Read: Study Shows Air Pollution And Diesel Fumes Affect Females More Than Males. Toh Kya Karein Hum, Mar Jaaein?
The authors of the study also warned that the presence of the pollution particles can be seen in fetuses as early as the first trimester. They wrote in the Journal Lancet Planetary Health, “We found that maternally inhaled carbonaceous air pollution particles can cross the placenta and then translocate into human fetal organs during gestation… These findings are especially concerning because this window of exposure is key to organ development.”
Needless to say, the authors of the study have empasized on focusing on regulation of air quality around the world as these pollution particles are found in the brain of a fetus and that means it can directly interact with the control systems, other organs, and even cells.
