Seasonal ambient air pollution correlates strongly with spontaneous abortion in Mongolia.
BACKGROUND
Air pollution is a major health challenge worldwide and has previously been strongly associated with adverse reproductive health. This study aimed to examine the association between spontaneous abortion and seasonal variation of air pollutants in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.


METHODS
Monthly average O3, SO2, NO2, CO, PM10 and PM2.5 levels were measured at Mongolian Government Air Quality Monitoring stations. The medical records of 1219 women admitted to the hospital due to spontaneous abortion between 2009-2011 were examined retrospectively. Fetal deaths per calendar month from January-December, 2011 were counted and correlated with mean monthly levels of various air pollutants by means of regression analysis.


RESULTS
Regression of ambient pollutants against fetal death as a dose-response toxicity curve revealed very strong dose-response correlations for SO2 r > 0.9 (p < 0.001) while similarly strongly significant correlation coefficients were found for NO2 (r > 0.8), CO (r > 0.9), PM10 (r > 0.9) and PM2.5 (r > 0.8), (p < 0.001), indicating a strong correlation between air pollution and decreased fetal wellbeing.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study identified alarmingly strong statistical correlations between ambient air pollutants and spontaneous abortion. Further studies need to be done to examine possible correlations between personal exposure to air pollutants and pregnancy loss.
Davaasambuu
D
Enkhmaa
Nicole
N
Warburton
Badrakh
B
Javzandulam
Jadambajav
J
Uyanga
Yarinpil
Y
Khishigsuren
Sereeter
S
Lodoysamba
Shonkuuz
S
Enkhtur
The Lifespan Environmental Pollution Global Impact Center at The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Boulevard MS35, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA. dwarburton@chla.usc.edu.
David
D
Warburton
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006801:Humans; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide