Antenatal exposure to vehicular pollutants and association with preterm birth in Colombia.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association between preterm delivery and prenatal exposure of pregnant women to vehicular emissions of particulate matter smaller than 10 microns and carbon monoxide, in a city in Colombia, between July 2014 and July 2015. Methods: Relational, retrospective, case-control study at the Caldas Hospital in the city of Manizales; in women who attended delivery care. Exposure to vehicular emissions of particulate matter smaller than 10 microns and carbon monoxide was determined using previously published estimates for the city. The statistical analysis was carried out in the Jamovi – Stats Open Now application. It had the endorsement of the ethics committees of the institutions involved. Results: A total of 222 patients were analyzed, 74 presented preterm delivery (cases) and 148 term delivery (controls). No statistically significant association was found between the development of preterm labor and levels of particulate matter less than 10 microns or carbon monoxide; however, there could be an association between preterm delivery and health insurance, which could not be established due to the small sample size. The spatial pattern of cases of preterm delivery in the city was also obtained based on the habitual residence of the patients. Conclusion: Environmental pollutants such as particulate matter smaller than 10 microns and carbon monoxide may be involved in the presentation of preterm labor, however, more studies are required to analyze this association.