Air Pollution And Pregnancy, The Shocking Reality

Air Pollution and Pregnancy, The Shocking Reality

The Shocking Reality About Air Pollution And Pregnancy

You’re taking prenatal vitamins, eating a balanced diet, and seeing your OB/GYN on a regular basis. All of these things are necessary for a successful pregnancy. The air you breathe is equally critical. One in every two people lives in cities with polluted air, according to the American Lung Association’s 2016 State of the Air survey. Fortunately, there are things you can do to increase air quality both inside and outside your home.

Effects Of Air Pollution On A Pregnant Woman

Poor air quality has been linked to a variety of negative health effects, ranging from cardiovascular and respiratory issues to cognitive impairment. It can even result in death. According to research, air pollution is particularly harmful to children during pregnancy. In fact, air pollution levels below current US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards have been shown to have harmful effects on both the mother and the fetus. According to a large-scale survey, air pollution caused 16,000 premature births in the United States alone in a single year.

Particle contamination, a mixture of poisonous solid and liquid particles floating around in the air we breathe, is the biggest factor. They irritate the lungs, skin, and throat, making it difficult to breathe. Not to mention the fact that they have a connection to lung cancer. Larger particles are often expelled from the body by coughing or sneezing. Smaller particles, on the other hand, become lodged in the lungs or enter the bloodstream.

The most common particle contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), have been linked to premature birth, low birthweight, and, in serious cases, infant mortality. It’s also linked to a higher risk of autism and obesity in later childhood.

In a 2015 study of 40 kids, researchers discovered that the higher the amount of PAHs they were exposed to during pregnancy, the more white matter was lost in the left hemisphere of the brain. White matter loss in that area is linked to slower cognitive processing and behavioral issues. Researchers discovered that postnatal exposure to the same toxins had adversely affected the production of white matter in the prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain linked to attention, reasoning, judgment, and problem-solving capacity, when they scanned these children’s brains again at age 5.

Air Pollution and Pregnancy, The Shocking Reality

Pregnancy Results Are Vastly Improved When There Is Less Pollution In The Air

Reducing air pollution is important for our children’s health, according to real-world evidence. Children in Southern California who were studied from 2007 to 2011 had better lung capacity than children of the same age and living in the same neighborhoods who were studied from 1993 to 2001 when the air was dirtier.

Temporary pollution control initiatives in Beijing prior to and after the 2008 Olympics culminated in babies being born with an average birth weight of 23 grams higher than babies born before the tighter regulations. As air pollution levels in Switzerland fell slightly in the 1990s, schoolchildren suffered fewer outbreaks of chronic and nocturnal dry cough, bronchitis, and pneumonia over a nine-year period.

You shouldn’t have to wait for regional government controls to improve your baby’s air quality. Here are ten things you can do to keep your family safe from air pollution.

Air Pollution and Pregnancy, The Shocking Reality

10 Ways To Keep Your Baby Safe From Pollutants In The Air

  • For regular air quality forecasts, listen to local radio, television, and newspapers, and remain indoors when levels are high.
  • To avoid exposure to vehicle fumes, minimize your time in the car and avoid high-traffic areas wherever possible.
  • When it comes to lawn work, hand-powered or electric machines are preferable to gasoline-powered machines.
  • Smoking is not permitted in your house. It’s now or never to stop smoking if you’re a smoker.
  • Cooking emissions can be removed from the air by using an exhaust fan and ensuring that your kitchen is well-ventilated. In reality, recirculation exhaust fans pollute the indoor air more than exhaust fans that vent to the outside. Cooking, apart from cigarette smoking, is one of the most polluting activities in the house.
  • Remove all scented and perfumed items from your house, including air fresheners, cologne, perfume, and cleaners. They may contain harmful chemicals that are released into the atmosphere.
  • Use nontoxic brands or natural cleaners like vinegar, peroxide, and baking soda.
  • Ensure that gas stoves and central heating and air-conditioning systems are built and maintained properly.
  • Check for radon, a radioactive gas, in your house. You have the option of buying a kit or hiring a competent inspector.
  • To filter toxic contaminants out of the air, invest in a home air purifier, such as the iWave Air Purifier, or a duct mounted ultraviolet light.

Better air quality from the start will help your baby in the long run. Knowing the dangers of air pollution and taking action to stop it would go a long way in making it easier for your child to breathe.

For installation on a whole home air purifying system please contact Earth Temp HVAC, Inc. to address the air quality your home needs for you and your children.

 

Earth Temp HVAC, Inc.

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