title: Maternal Exposure to Air Pollution and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the associations between exposure to air pollution exposure and the outcomes of preterm birth (PTB), term low birth weight (TLBW), and small for gestational age.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a population-based cohort study using a perinatal database linked to land-use regression-modeled air pollution data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with women in the lowest quartile of toluene exposure, those in the second lowest quartile showed a positive association with PTB (odds ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 1.63). A piecewise logistic regression breakpoint analysis identified a cut point (identifying a change in the slope) of 0.36  μg/m for toluene and the risk of PTB. There was also some evidence to suggest an association between sulfur dioxide and TLBW.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides some evidence to suggest that in an area of relatively low air pollution concentration, maternal exposure to some air pollutants may be associated with adverse birth outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Epidemiology (Ms Poirier, Dr Dodds); Perinatal Epidemiology Research Unit (Dr Dodds), Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia; School of Population and Public Health (Dr Dummer), University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Environmental Science (Dr Rainham); Department of Statistics (Mr Maguire), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Air Health Science Division (Dr Johnson), Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Abbey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dodds
authors.forename: Trevor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dummer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rainham
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: Markey
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D016015:Logistic Models; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009674:Nova Scotia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants