Environmental Exposure in Pregnancy

Air pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are an increasing health concern, known to cause cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Environmental contamination with hazardous substances such as solvents and pesticides, also has the potential to harm human health.

There is growing evidence that exposure to environmental pollutants during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, preterm birth, and congenital anomalies.

Actions Towards European Environmental Surveillance

In 2013 EUROCAT published a special report looking at the feasibility of environmental linkage by member registries1. Since then, data from EUROCAT registries in Spain, Italy, France, and the Netherlands have contributed to studies investigating the association between environmental pollution and congenital malformations:

  • EUROCAT data from Spanish registries showed associations between nitrogen dioxide air pollution and coarctation of the aorta, and digestive system defects, and associations between particulate matter and abdominal wall defects2.
  • EUROCAT data from Italian registries showed associations between petrochemical and landfill contaminated sites and a small increased risk of congenital anomalies3.
  • EUROCAT data from the Northern Netherlands showed associations between particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide air pollutants, and increased risk of genital anomalies4.
  • Case-control studies using cases from the Brittany EUROCAT registry showed associations between petroleum solvents and hypospadias 4; and between pesticides and hypospadias5.

Occupational Exposure in Pregnancy

Occupational exposures are potentially harmful substances that a pregnant woman may come into contact with while at their place of work. The EUROCAT northern Netherlands registry has published several papers on associations between occupation exposures and congenital anomalies including:

  • Associations between organic, mineral, and metal dust and heart defects6
  • Associations between solvents and neural tube, orofacial, and heart defects7,8
  • Associations between endocrine disrupting chemicals and urogenital anomalies9.

References

 

  1. EUROCAT Central Registry (2013) “EUROCAT Special Report: Actions Towards European Environmental Surveillance: feasibility of environmental linkage”

  2. Schembari A, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Salvador J et. al (2014) “Traffic related air pollution and congenital anomalies in Barcelona”. Env Health Pers, Vol 122, pp 317-323

  3. Santoro M, Minichilli F, Perini A, et. al. (2017) “Congenital anomalies in contaminated sites: A multisite study in Italy”. Int J Environ Res Public Health, Vol 14

  4. Salavati N, Strak M, Burgerhof JGM, et.al (2018) “The association of air pollution with congenital anomalies: an exploratory study in the northern Netherlands”. Int J Hyg Environ Health, Vol 221, pp 1061-1067

  5. Rouget F, Bihannic A, Cordier S, et.al (2021) “Petroleum and Chlorinated Solvents in Meuconium and the Risk of Hypospadias: A Pilot Study”. Frontiers in Pediatrics, Vol 9, pp 640064

  6. Spinder N, Bergman JE, Kromhout H, et. al. (2020) “Maternal exposure and heart defects in offpring”. Scand J Work Environ Health, Vol 46, pp 599-608

  7. Spinder N, Bergman JEH, Boezen H, et. al. (2017) “Maternal occupation exposure and oral clefts in offspring”. Environ Health, Vol 16, pp 83

  8. Spinder N, Prins JR, Bergman JEH, et. al. (2019) “Congenital anomalies in the offspring of occupationally exposed mothers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using expert assessment for occupational exposures”. Hum Reprod, Vol 34, pp 903-919

  9. Spinder N, Bergman JEH, van Tongeren M, et. al. (2021) “Maternal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and urogenital anomalies in the offspring”. Hum Reprod, Vol 37, pp 142-151