Association of very low birth weight with exposures to environmental sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulates

Abstract

This paper presents results of a population-based case- control study of the association between maternal exposures to environmental sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulates (TSP) and risk for having a very low birth weight (VLBW) baby, i.e., one weighing less than 1,500 g at birth. The study, which took place between April 1, 1986 and March 30, 1988, comprised 143 mothers of VLBW babies and 202 mothers of babies weighing 2,500 g or more living in Georgia Health Care District 9. Environmental exposure estimates (μg/m3) were obtained through environmental transport modeling that allowed us to assign environmental sulfur dioxide and TSP exposure estimates at the birth home of each study subject. Exposures less than or equal to 9.94 μg/m3, the median of TSP and sulfur dioxide exposures for the controls, were considered as referent exposures. Exposures to atmospheric TSP and sulfur dioxide above the 95th percentile (56.75 μg/m3) yielded an adjusted odds ratio of 2.88 (95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.16, 7.13), that from above the 75th to the 95th percentile (25.18-56.75 μg/m3) yielded an adjusted odds ratio of 1.27 (95% Cl: 0.68, 2.37), and that from above the median (9.94 μg/m3) to the 75th percentile, an adjusted odds ratio of 0.99 (95% Cl: 0.51, 1.72). The trend demonstrated in these adjusted estimates suggests an association between VLBW and maternal exposures to high levels of air pollution.