Prenatal air pollution exposure associated with low birth weight in Chinese cohort

Researchers examined associations between prenatal air pollution exposure and low birth weight using birth records from Fujian Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in southern China. The retrospective cohort included 41,397 mother–infant pairs recorded during 2015–2019, including 1,532 infants with low birth weight. Analyses used logistic regression, distributed lag nonlinear models, dual-pollutant models and weighted quantile sum regression to assess individual pollutants, exposure timing and pollutant mixtures.

Across pregnancy, PM2.5 exposure was associated with higher odds of low birth weight (OR 1.022, 95% CI 1.002–1.042), as was carbon monoxide exposure (OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.001–1.027). Mixture analyses found associations for exposure during the first trimester, second trimester and pregnancy overall, with PM2.5 and carbon monoxide contributing most. Among women with gestational diabetes, PM2.5, PM10 and sulfur dioxide exposures were positively associated with low birth weight.

The findings support an association between prenatal pollution exposure and birth weight but do not establish causality or demonstrate that reducing exposure prevents low birth weight. The supplied text does not report exposure increments, detailed confounder adjustment or specific vulnerable gestational weeks, limiting clinical interpretation. Data came from one hospital. The study received Fujian public research funding, and the authors declared no competing interests.