Apart from several health concerns reported for air pollution, a new study finds pollutants as major factors affecting the success rate in in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Certain studies have linked prenatal exposure to air pollution to not only preterm labor and low birth weight but also lower IQ scores in the newborn.
According to the study published in Human Reproduction, exposure to air pollution lowers the chance of having a baby in women trying to conceive through IVF.
Air pollution causes widespread inflammation in the body, increasing the production of cell-damaging oxygen-free radicals and placing the individual at an increased risk of developing blood clots, both of which are considered as known threats for pregnancy.
Higher than average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a common pollutant produced by vehicle exhaust, lowers the success of conceiving through IVF, the study found.
Exposure to high levels of another pollutant, known as ozone, after embryo implantation in the womb lowered the success of having a baby. High ozone exposure around the time of ovulation, however, improved the chance of conceiving.
Scientists, therefore, concluded that NO2 levels affect the success of having a baby in expectant moms, stressing that the influence of these pollutants in real life is "subtle".
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