Air Pollution, Ethnicity, and Birth Outcomes

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Air Pollution, Ethnicity, and Birth Outcomes
African American newborns are affected by certain air pollutants while other ethnicities from the same area - specifically Dominican babies - are not, according to a recent study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Among Dominicans, developmental hazards were not associated with exposure to the pollutants - called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are formed by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels, wood, and tobacco products. But among African Americans, "exposure increased the risk of pre-term delivery and the likelihood of infants being born small." The authors of the study conclude that cultural differences, such as more nutritious diets and more supportive social networks among Dominicans, may have led to the difference and they call for further study. The study analyzed 616 pregnant mothers in Washington Heights, Harlem or the South Bronx.

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