Pre-pregnancy exposure to toxins linked to infant heart defects
Birth Defects
Maternal exposure to air pollution — even before a woman becomes pregnant — may raise the risk of heart defects in an unborn child, according to new research.
Published in the American Heart Association journal, the study suggests that the risks of heart defects are just as high in the three months before pregnancy as they are during the first trimester. The finding underscores the importance of minimizing exposure to air pollution during before conception, as well as in the first trimester.
The leading cause of infant mortality worldwide, congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect.
About the Study
The findings are based on an examination of more than 1.4 million births involving 7,335 heart defects from 2014 to 2017, across 30 provinces and municipalities in China. The researchers analyzed exposure to fine particulate matter – tiny particles of pollution such as smoke or dust – during the three months prior to conception through the end of the first trimester. The study documented birth defects discovered between 28 weeks of gestation to 42 days after birth.
For every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in maternal exposure to fine particulate matter, the risk of delivering a baby with a heart defect increased by 2%. The study also found that health risks from air pollution exposure were more significant during the preconception period than during the mother’s first trimester.
This is the first study that provides evidence of the dangers when a mother is exposed to airborne toxins before conception.
Airborne Toxins in Workplaces Pose a Risk
A separate study found that workplace exposures to airborne toxins are associated with a two- to three-fold increase for certain heart defects. The report concluded that women should be careful about exposure to mineral and organic dusts or metal dust and fumes in the workplace in the months before and during early pregnancy.
What Causes Congenital Heart Defects?
Although more than 80% of heart defects in babies have no known cause, research indicates that exposure to airborne toxins may play a role.
- Approximately 6% to 8% of birth defects are associated with air pollution, according to a study conducted in China.
- Mounting evidence suggests environmental factors may increase the risk of a baby developing congenital heart disease.
- One study that examined maternal occupational exposure to toxins such as organic dust, mineral dust, metal dust and fumes in early pregnancy concluded that such exposure might affect heart development of fetuses in the womb.
What is Congenital Heart Disease?
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent of all birth defects.
- CHD is a result of the abnormal formation of the heart or blood vessels between the second and ninth week of gestation.
- CHD is the leading cause of death from congenital malformations in the neonatal period and first year of life.
How Can Exposure to Airborne Toxins be Reduced?
Women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy can reduce exposure to airborne toxins by following a few measures, including:
- Installing home air filters, such as portable air cleaners and high-efficiency home filtration systems.
- Keeping the home and car windows closed in areas where there may be high exposure to airborne chemicals.
- Wearing face masks in areas where there’s a high risk of exposure to airborne toxins.
How We Help Victims of Toxic Exposure
The attorneys of our birth defects victims’ alliance understand the pain that families face when coping with life-altering birth defects—and the frustration of knowing they could have been prevented. Our team has over 40 years of combined experience in birth defects litigation in cases involving semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, pesticides, and energy production. We have the resources and experience to fight on behalf of our clients against corporations who put them in danger. Call us to see how we can help you and your family receive justice for birth defects.