‘Silent Miscarriages’ Are Linked to Air Pollution
But hyperlocal air quality monitors could pave the way to a better future
The smog in Beijing can get so thick that it’s impossible for residents to see their own fingers in front of them, and most days it’s impossible to avoid breathing it in. The danger is significant for pregnant women living and working in the megacity, who put their fetuses at risk by inhaling polluted air.
Last week, researchers from five Chinese universities reported in Nature Sustainability that pregnant women exposed to Beijing’s suffocating smog have an increased risk of a first-trimester “silent miscarriage” —a fetal death that goes unnoticed. “Pregnant women or those who want to become pregnant, must protect themselves from air pollution exposure not only for their own health,” the researchers write, “but also for the health of their fetuses.” Other documented effects of air pollution include bronchitis, asthma, impaired lung growth, brain development issues, and even lung cancer — risks that could be lessened if citizens knew where and when it was safe to breathe.
The Chinese government has deployed stations that monitor air quality in an attempt to provide actionable information to citizens. But the effort is limited by budget constraints, and they take only a limited number of…
