title: Ambient air pollution exposure and blood pressure changes during pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal exposure to ambient air pollution has been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as preterm delivery. However, only one study to date has linked air pollution to blood pressure changes during pregnancy, a period of dramatic cardiovascular function changes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether maternal exposures to criteria air pollutants, including particles of less than 10 μm (PM(10)) or 2.5 μm diameter (PM(2.5)), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), sulfur dioxide (SO(2)), and ozone (O(3)), in each trimester of pregnancy are associated with magnitude of rise of blood pressure between the first 20 weeks of gestation and late pregnancy in a prospectively followed cohort of 1684 pregnant women in Allegheny County, PA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Air pollution measures for maternal ZIP code areas were derived using Kriging interpolation. Using logistic regression analysis, we evaluated the associations between air pollution exposures and blood pressure changes between the first 20 weeks of gestation and late pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First trimester PM(10) and ozone exposures were associated with blood pressure changes between the first 20 weeks of gestation and late pregnancy, most strongly in non-smokers. Per interquartile increases in first trimester PM(10) and O(3) concentrations were associated with mean increases in systolic blood pressure of 1.88 mm Hg (95% CI=0.84 to 2.93) and 1.84 (95% CI=1.05 to 4.63), respectively, and in diastolic blood pressure of 0.63 mm Hg (95% CI=-0.50 to 1.76) and 1.13 (95% CI=-0.46 to 2.71) in non-smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our novel finding suggests that first trimester PM(10) and O(3) air pollution exposures increase blood pressure in the later stages of pregnancy. These changes may play a role in mediating the relationships between air pollution and adverse birth outcomes.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. pel27@pitt.edu
authors: Pei-Chen
authors: PC
authors: Lee
authors: Evelyn O
authors: EO
authors: Talbott
authors: James M
authors: JM
authors: Roberts
authors: Janet M
authors: JM
authors: Catov
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Bilonick
authors: Roslyn A
authors: RA
authors: Stone
authors: Ravi K
authors: RK
authors: Sharma
authors: Beate
authors: B
authors: Ritz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011247:Pregnancy; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide