Although fetal development is one of the human growth periods most vulnerable to toxins, epidemiologic data concerning the effects of ambient air pollution exposures during this period are limited. Studies conducted previously in Los Angeles, China, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Mexico, and the United States suggest exposure to ambient air pollution during pregnancy may cause adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight (LBW) or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), preterm birth, and intrauterine and postneonatal mortality. We recently reported that air pollution, specifically carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), increased the risk of giving birth to LBW and preterm infants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area between 1989-1993 (Ritz and Yu, 1999). Further analyses also indicated increases in CO exposure during the second month of pregnancy may be related to certain cardiac defects. While our research and the Brazilian study suggest that motor vehicle-related pollution may be responsible for the observed effects, no study to date has examined this potential association. Furthermore, no information exists on whether exposures received in specific microenvironments, such as exposure from indoor sources and in-vehicle exposures while commuting are important. The objective of the proposed research is to determine whether exposure to elevated ambient air pollution during pregnancy results in LBW, preterm birth, intrauterine and postneonatal mortality, or cardiac defects in infants born to women living in the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB). We will examine whether: (1) these effects are attributable to traffic-related sources relying on measures of proximity to high traffic density roadways; (2) short-term increases in air pollution prior to birth or fetal death and/or medium-term exposures accumulated over months or trimesters of pregnancy are more important; (3) observed effects are stable when adjusting for risk factor information not available in previous studies; (4) maternal exposures to additional indoor, in-vehicle, or occupational sources confound or modify the effect observed for ambient pollutants; and (5) effects are different for population subgroups (e.g., older mothers, working mothers etc.). We will use a two-tiered approach. First, we will perform a cohort study of all births (1994-1999) and fetal and infant deaths (1989-1997) in the SoCAB region and model short and long term exposures to pollutants on term LBW, preterm birth, intrauterine and postneonatal mortality and cardiac defects. Second, we will conduct a standardized mail survey for a nested group of 2000 LBW and/or preterm births to collect additional exposure, confounder, and effect modifier data for children born most recently. Finally we are collecting data that will allow us to validate the traffic density and ambient air pollution measures using a small sample of personal, indoor, and outdoor monitoring data for carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01ES010960-03
Application #
6608890
Study Section
Epidemiology and Disease Control Subcommittee 2 (EDC)
Program Officer
Gray, Kimberly A
Project Start
2001-07-18
Project End
2006-06-30
Budget Start
2003-07-01
Budget End
2006-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$226,650
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Public Health & Prev Medicine
Type
Schools of Public Health
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Alfonso, Vivian H; Bandoli, Gretchen; von Ehrenstein, Ondine et al. (2018) Early Folic Acid Supplement Initiation and Risk of Adverse Early Childhood Respiratory Health: A Population-based Study. Matern Child Health J 22:111-119
Bandoli, Gretchen; von Ehrenstein, Ondine; Ghosh, Jo Kay C et al. (2016) Prenatal Maternal Stress and the Risk of Lifetime Wheeze in Young Offspring: An Examination by Stressor and Maternal Ethnicity. J Immigr Minor Health 18:987-95
Alfonso, Vivian H; von Ehrenstein, Ondine; Bandoli, Gretchen et al. (2016) The Influence of Pre-natal Supplement Initiation on Preterm Birth Among Majority Hispanic Women in Los Angeles County: The Role of Nativity. Matern Child Health J 20:1861-8
von Ehrenstein, O S; Aralis, H; Flores, M E S et al. (2015) Fast food consumption in pregnancy and subsequent asthma symptoms in young children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 26:571-7
Bandoli, Gretchen; von Ehrenstein, Ondine S; Flores, Marie E S et al. (2015) Breastfeeding and Asthmatic Symptoms in The Offspring of Latinas: The Role of Maternal Nativity. J Immigr Minor Health 17:1739-45
von Ehrenstein, Ondine S; Wilhelm, Michelle; Wang, Anthony et al. (2014) Preterm birth and prenatal maternal occupation: the role of Hispanic ethnicity and nativity in a population-based sample in Los Angeles, California. Am J Public Health 104 Suppl 1:S65-72
Ghosh, Jo Kay C; Wilhelm, Michelle; Ritz, Beate (2013) Effects of residential indoor air quality and household ventilation on preterm birth and term low birth weight in Los Angeles County, California. Am J Public Health 103:686-94
Becerra, Tracy Ann; Wilhelm, Michelle; Olsen, Jørn et al. (2013) Ambient air pollution and autism in Los Angeles county, California. Environ Health Perspect 121:380-6
Lee, Pei-Chen; Roberts, James M; Catov, Janet M et al. (2013) First trimester exposure to ambient air pollution, pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes in Allegheny County, PA. Matern Child Health J 17:545-55
Lee, Pei-Chen; Talbott, Evelyn O; Roberts, James M et al. (2012) Ambient air pollution exposure and blood pressure changes during pregnancy. Environ Res 117:46-53

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