Is Air Pollution a Risk Factor for Low Birth Weight in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia?

Gantuya Dorji^1*, Angarmurun Dayan², Khuderchuluun Nanjid², Undram Lkhagvaa², Chimedsuren Оchir²

¹Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, MNUMS, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
²School of Public Health, MNUMS, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1100885                

Abstract

Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) is one of the most air polluted capital cities in the world, with ambient sulfide dioxide (SO₂) and particulate matter PM₁₀ and PM _2.5 levels > 23 times World Health Organization (WHO) standards in winter. Several studies have examined the effects of air pollution on pregnancy, providing that exposure to ambient air pollutants is associated with poor birth outcome, such as low birth weight. Our study goal was to study the associations between air pollution exposures during pregnancy and low birth weight among all full-term births (gestational age 37 - 42 weeks) for a 6-year period (January 2008 through December 31, 2013) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In the study we recruited 160,676 singletons. We used a logistic regression adjusting for gestational age, parental education level, parity and infant age. The adjusted relative risk of low birth weight was 1.06 (95% CI = 1.01 - 1.12) for each inter-quartile increase in NO₂ concentrations. The risk of low birth weight was increased to 1.04 (95% CI = 0.93 - 1.15) for CO, 1.02 (95% CI 0.97 - 1.05) for SO₂ and 1.03 (95% CI 1.01 - 1.08) for PM₁₀. Each inter-quartile increase of NO₂ concentration during the first trimester reduced 10.74 gm of birth weight. SO₂, CO and PM₁₀ also decreased birth weight 7.62, 7.49, and 8.72 gm, respectively. Each inter-quartile increase of pollutants decreases baby weight up to 11 grams.

Keywords

Low Birth Weight, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Particulate Matter, Ulaanbaatar, Pollution

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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