LA air toxics, especially PAHs, track preterm birth
In Los Angeles, entire-pregnancy PAHs associated with ~30% higher preterm-birth odds; ammonium nitrate PM2.5 and several traffic markers also raised odds.
Source
Traffic-related air toxics and preterm birth: a population-based case-control study in Los Angeles County, California
Study at a glance
- Design
- Case-control — Population-based case-control of LA preterm birth near MATES monitors with traffic toxics
- N
- N=241415 · 241,415 births after exclusions from 276,891 birth records; analyses often restricted nearer monitors
- Population
- Births in Los Angeles County near MATES air-toxics monitors
- Outcome
- Preterm birth odds related to PAHs, traffic markers, and source-apportioned PM2.5
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LA air toxics, especially PAHs, track preterm birth
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
Preterm prevalence was 9.2%.
The prevalence of preterm birth in the study population was 9.2%.
Total PAHs were associated with approximately 30% odds increases.
benzo(g, h, i)perylene and total PAHs were associated with approximately 30% odds increases and benzo(a)pyrene with a 13% odds increase,
What they did
Population-based case-control of births near MATES monitors used three exposure sources (stations, LUR, source-apportioned PM) in conditional logistic models of preterm birth.
What they found
Preterm prevalence 9.2%. Total PAHs and several PAH species ~30% odds increases (benzo(a)pyrene 13%) but small PAH samples. IQR increases in ammonium nitrate PM2.5 and 9–13% odds rises for benzene, diesel/EC/OC, and biomass-burning PM2.5.
The limits
What it doesn't show
PAHs were measured at only two stations for shorter periods; residual SES confounding and spatial monitor coverage limit causal claims for a single toxin.
Key terms
- Preterm birth
- Delivery before 37 weeks, here 9.2% of the study population.
- PAHs
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from fuel combustion.
- MATES
- Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study monitoring in Los Angeles.
- Ammonium nitrate PM2.5
- Secondary fine-particle component implicated besides primary traffic.
- IQR odds ratio
- Change in preterm odds per interquartile-range exposure increment.
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Study preterm prevalence was:
Common questions
Preterm prevalence?
9.2% in the study population.
Which toxics stood out?
PAHs (~30% odds increases).
Only traffic?
No—PAH sources besides traffic and ammonium nitrate PM2.5 also mattered.
Births source?
California Department of Health records (n = 276,891 before exclusions).
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