Residential Proximity to Roadways and Placental-associated Stillbirth: a Case-control Study

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Health Res

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2019 Oct 8

PMID 31587563

Authors

Lindsey Butler

Lisa Gallagher

Michael Winter

M Patricia Fabian

Amelia Wesselink

Ann Aschengrau

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 1,097 women in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, USA, to examine the association between stillbirth related to placental abruption or placental insufficiency and maternal exposure to traffic-related air pollution. We utilized distance to nearest roadway proximity metrics as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution exposure. No meaningful increase in the overall odds of placental-associated stillbirths was observed (adjusted OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.5-2.8). However, mothers living within 50 m of a roadway had a 60% increased odds of experiencing a stillbirth related to placental abruption compared to mothers living greater than 200 m away. This suggestive finding was imprecise due to the small case number in the highest exposure category (95% CI: 0.6-4.0). Future studies of placental abruption with more precise exposure assessments are warranted.

Citing Articles

Changes in traffic-related air pollution exposures and associations with adverse birth outcomes over 20 years in Texas.

Hystad P, Hill E, Larkin A, Schrank D, Harleman M, Volkin E Int J Epidemiol. 2025; 54(1).

PMID: 39761605 PMC: 11703368. DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyae178.

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