title: Increased risk of preterm delivery in women residing near thermal power plants in Taiwan.
abstract: In this article, the researchers studied the prevalence of preterm births for women living near thermal power plants. The prevalence of delivery of preterm birth infants was significantly higher among women living within 3 km of a thermal power plant than among women living within 3-4 km of a plant. After controlling for several possible confounders (including maternal age, season, marital status, maternal education, infant gender, and birth site), the adjusted odds ratio was 1.14 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.30) for delivery of preterm infants for women living close to the thermal power plants. These data provide further support for the hypothesis that air pollution can affect the outcome of pregnancy, although a semiecological study cannot confirm a direct causal relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shang-Shyue
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hsin-Su
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chih-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hung-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Chun-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011210:Power Plants; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants