Research recently published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health shows that living near a highway would raise the risk of a pregnant woman having a premature birth or a baby with low birth weight due mainly to pollution produced by vehicles.
The study was carried out by analyzing the birth record of Quebec, specifically data on some 100,000 live births between 1997 and 2001 in Montreal (Canada).
Curiously, Mothers who live in the most socioeconomically favored neighborhoods are the most likely to suffer premature births (58% more possibilities) and to have low weight babies (increases the risk up to 81%).
Mothers residing in humble neighborhoods 200 meters around a highway were 14% more likely to have preterm birth and 17% more likely to have a baby with low birth weight than those who lived farther away.
The researchers explain these differences, which surprised them by obtaining the conclusions because they expected contrary data, in the fact that mothers with more economic resources would be less exposed and accustomed to risk factors such as pollution or smoking, so they would be more vulnerable.
In any case, we see how our body cares, and much, the quality of the environment in which we move and the current pace of life, aspects that must be taken special care during pregnancy to avoid these types of risks.
