Maternal exposure to ozone and PM2.5 and the prevalence of orofacial clefts in four U.S. states

Abstract

Background-While there is some evidence that maternal exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with orofacial clefts in offspring, the epidemiologic studies have been largely equivocal. We evaluated whether maternal exposure to elevated county-level ambient fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) and ozone during early gestation was associated with a higher prevalence of orofacial clefts. * Corresponding author. yzhou2@cdc.gov (Y. Zhou). New York City), and Texas. The air pollution exposure assessment for gestational weeks 5-10 was based on county-level average concentrations of PM 2.5 and ozone data generated using a Bayesian fusion model available through CDC's Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. Two outcomes were analyzed separately: cleft lip with or without cleft palate, cleft palate alone. In logistic regression analyses, we adjusted for factors that were suspected confounders or modifiers of the association between the prevalence of orofacial clefts and air pollution, i.e., infant sex, race-ethnicity, maternal education, smoking status during pregnancy, whether this was mother's first baby, maternal age.Results-Each 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 concentration was significantly associated with cleft palate alone (OR =1.43, 95% CI: 1.11-1.86). There was no significant association between PM 2.5 concentration and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. No associations were observed between ozone exposure and the two outcomes of orofacial clefts.Conclusions-Our study suggests that PM 2.5 significantly increased the risk of cleft palate alone, but did not change the incidence of cleft lip with or without palate. Ozone levels did not correlate with incidence of orofacial clefts.

Maternal exposure to fine particulate matter during pregnancy induces progressive senescence of hematopoietic stem cells under preferential impairment of the bone marrow microenvironment and aids development of myeloproliferative disease

“…However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the effects of PM 2.5 on stem progenitor cells, particularly hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs). There is growing evidence that maternal exposure to PM 2.5 during pregnancy can harm both the embryo and progeny [4][5][6]. The embryo and fetus are more susceptible to external stress than the adult.…”

“…The embryo and fetus are more susceptible to external stress than the adult. Although there is growing evidence regarding the detrimental risks to the embryo and offspring that have been maternally exposed to PM 2.5 during pregnancy [4][5][6], little is known about the effects of maternal PM 2.5 exposure to stem cells, which begin to emerge, activate, and mature during embryo development.…”