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Particulate matter and preterm birth
Citation:
Rapazzo, K. M., J. L. Daniels, L. C. Messner, C. Poole, AND D. T. LOBDELL. Particulate matter and preterm birth. Presented at Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, June 27 - 30, 2012.
Impact/Purpose:
We examined the association between ambient PM <2.5 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.S) and the elemental carbon (EC) fraction of PM2.sand the risk o fpreterm birth in Ohio.
Description:
Particulate matter (PM) has been variably associated with preterm birth (PTB) (gestation <37 weeks), but the role played by specific chemical components of PM has been little studied. We examined the association between ambient PM <2.5 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.S) and the elemental carbon (EC) fraction ofPM2.sand the risk ofpreterm birth in Ohio. We constructed a cohort ofpregnancies at risk ofpreterm delivery (i.e., 20-week gestational age cohort) between Jan 1,2000 and Dec 31, 2005 using live birth certificates for Ohio (n=612115, 8.45% PTB). We assigned mean estimates of PM2.5 and EC exposure over the first 4 weeks of gestation from Community Multi-Scale Air Quality modeling system output corrected with air monitoring data. We performed log-risk regression, adjusted for maternal marital status, education, and race to estimate risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (RR, 95%CI) for PTB for a 1 microgram/cubic meter (ug/rrr') increase in PM2.5 and EC exposures. We also stratified models by race. Baseline risks for PTB were 7.59% in white births, and 10.77% in black births. RR (95%CI) for PM2.S exposure in the first 4 weeks of gestation was 0.995 (0.992,0.998) among white births and 1.000 (0.994, 1.005) among black births. For EC exposure in the first 4 weeks of gestation baseline risks were 6.92% (white) and 9.98% (black). RR for EC were 1.057 (1.000, 1.116) in white and 1.143 (1.038,1.258) in black births. Though potential for residual confounding exists, these preliminary results suggest an association between EC exposure early in pregnancy and risk of preterm birth. This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.