New Delhi : A recent study shows that maternal exposure to PM2.5 air pollution during pregnancy can affect newborn brain development. Researchers from Hospital del Mar, the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), and CIBERESP in Spain studied ultra-fine particles, about thirty times thinner than a human hair. These particles contained both harmful elements from combustion and essential nutrients like iron, copper, and zinc, which are crucial for brain growth. This highlights the potential danger of PM2.5 for pregnancy and the developing baby brain.
How PM2.5 Pregnancy Exposure Impacts Myelination in Newborns
The study, published in Environment International, found that babies born to pregnant people exposed to higher PM2.5 levels experienced slower myelination, a process in which myelin coats neuronal connections to ensure faster and more efficient information transmission. This demonstrates how PM2.5 impacts pregnancy and potentially influences the baby brain development.
Both delayed and accelerated myelination can be harmful, but researchers caution that it is too early to determine the long-term consequences for the child’s abilities.
Monitoring PM2.5 Pregnancy Exposure Through MRI Scans
The team monitored air pollution exposure in pregnant people. After delivery, 132 newborns underwent MRI scans before turning one month old to assess the degree of brain maturation through myelination. Gerard Martínez-Vilavella of Hospital del Mar explained, “Our study indicates that myelination progresses at a slower rate in newborns whose mothers were most exposed to PM2.5 during pregnancy, impacting the baby brain development.”
Experts Call for Further Research on PM2.5 Pregnancy Baby Brain Effects
Dr. Jesús Pujol, head of the MRI Unit, explained, “In early life, brain changes are large and complex. Both excessive slowdown and acceleration can be harmful. It remains unclear if the observed PM2.5 pregnancy effects will necessarily affect children negatively.”
He added, “This study opens an exciting new field to explore how maternal and placental factors act as filters to protect and optimize brain maturation.”
The team urges further research to understand how PM2.5 pregnancy exposure affects newborn baby brain development and how to minimize risks.
