First two months of pregnancy--critical time for preterm delivery and low birthweight caused by adverse effects of coal combustion toxics.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to define the most critical gestation period for adverse effects of environmental toxics in terms of preterm delivery (<37 weeks) and low birthweight (<2500 g) in humans.


METHODS
From January 1, 1987 to December 31, 1989, 704 women were included in a retrospective epidemiological study. All were from the district of Labin and lived in the vicinity of a coal power plant Plomin 1, Croatia. This plant is the single large source of air pollution in the area. The coal used for fuel is extremely rich with sulfur, 9-11%. Daily, weekly, and monthly consumption of coal and related SO2 emissions were calculated for each pregnant woman from the beginning to the end of pregnancy.


RESULTS
We found that a greater and longer exposure to SO2 emissions during the initial two months of pregnancy resulted in a significantly shorter gestation (end of the first month: -0.0914, p=0.008, end of the second month: -0.0806, p=0.016) and in lower body mass of a newborn (end of the first month: -0.0807, p=0.016, end of the second month -0.0733, p=0.026).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study confirm the role of inhaled environmental toxics in the early development of human embryo and in adverse pregnancy course caused by permanent oxidative stress, misbalanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reactive sulfur species (RSS), and other unfavorable metabolic processes on early embryogenesis, resulting in growth-arrested cells.
Mohorovic
Lucijan
L
Obstetric and Gynecologic Primary Care, Labin, Rabac 52221, Croatia. lucijan.mohorovic@pu.htnet.hr
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003031:Coal; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D011210:Power Plants; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis
D000393:Air Pollutants; D003031:Coal; D005740:Gases; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide