Personal exposure of PM2.5 and metabolic syndrome markers of pregnant women in South Korea: APPO study

Abstract

We examined the association between exposure to PM2.5, focused on individual exposure level, and metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy. APPO study (Air Pollution on Pregnancy Outcome) was a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study conducted from January 2021 to March 2023. Individual PM2.5 concentrations were calculated using a time-weighted average model. Metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy was assessed based on a modified definition of metabolic syndrome and its components, accounting for pregnancy-specific criteria. Exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with worsened metabolic parameters especially glucose metabolism. In comparison to participants exposed to the low PM2.5 group, those exposed to high PM2.5 levels exhibited increased odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after adjusting for confounding variables in different adjusted models. Specifically, in model 1, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 3.117 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.234–7.870; in model 2, the aOR was 3.855 with a 95% CI of 1.255–11.844; in model 3, the aOR was 3.404 with a 95% CI of 1.206–9.607; and in model 4, the aOR was 2.741 with a 95% CI of 0.712–10.547. Exposure to higher levels of PM2.5 during pregnancy was associated with a tendency to worsen metabolic dysfunction markers specifically in glucose homeostasis. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of ambient PM2.5 on metabolic dysfunction during pregnancy.

Gestational Exposure to PM2.5 and Specific Constituents, Meconium Metabolites, and Neonatal Neurobehavioral Development: A Cohort Study

“…Previous studies have suggested that PM 2.5 can interfere with the maternal metabolic function. For instance, both epidemiological and animal studies have shown that maternal exposure to PM 2.5 during pregnancy may cause metabolic dysregulation, as manifested as metabolic syndrome, lipid metabolism, and sex steroid disorder. − Meanwhile, maternal metabolic disorders have been associated with deficit-hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and developmental delay . Meconium, generated in the fetal gut from the second month of gestation onward, accumulates various molecules from the maternal–fetal environment.…”