Monday, July 20, 2009

The effects of pollution on the development of children

A study just published in Pediatrics, the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has reached the conclusion that there is a link between maternal exposure to airborne emissions before giving birth and the IQ of the children at the age of five. The study measured prenatal airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure (PAH), that is pollutants typically found in the emissions from cars, trucks and other vehicles, in 249 mothers during the last stages of their pregnancies. Although the study was primarily conducted in low-income areas of northern Manhattan and the southern parts of the Bronx, it may seem reasonable to assume that similar pollutant levels may be encountered in or around our neighborhood. An abstract of the study can be found on the Pediatrics website: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org

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