title: Relationship of ambient air pollutants and hazardous household factors with birth weight among Bedouin-Arabs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Air pollution and meteorology exposures during pregnancy have been suggested to be associated with Birth Weight (BW). Yet, the individual medical background and close household environment is rarely addressed. We aimed to evaluate the independent association of BW with meteorological and air pollution exposures during pregnancy, in addition to individual, parental and household risk factors, among the Bedouin-Arab population in Southern Israel; a semi nomadic population, featured by low socio-economic levels and poor housing and household environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective cohort study we enrolled pregnant women upon their arrival in the local hospital for delivery during December 2011-April 2013. We interviewed the women and collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, medical history and household environmental hazards. Air pollution (NO2, SO2, CO, Ozone and Particulate Matter <2.5 μ and 10 μ in diameter) and meteorological data (temperature, relative humidity), retrieved from 13 monitoring sites, were linked to each woman based on the proximity of her residential address.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 959 women were eligible for the study, half of them resided in temporary tribal localities. Ozone IQR elevation in the 3rd trimester was associated with 0.119 gr decrease in BW (95%CI -0.127 gr; -0.112 gr); temperature IQR elevation in the 3rd trimester was associated with 0.002 gr (95%CI -0.004 gr; -0.001 gr) decrease in BW. Waste in the house surroundings was associated with a decrease of 117.27 gr in BW (95%CI -209.19 gr; -25.34 gr).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although exposure to high levels of temperature and O3 were associated with lower BW, the contribution of poor household environment indicators to BW reduction was substantially higher.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Maayan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yitshak-Sade
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: novack@bgu.ac.il.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Novack
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Department of Neonatology Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Daniella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Landau
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Itai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kloog
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Batia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarov
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Ultrasound Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Reli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hershkovitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel; Environmental Epidemiology Department, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel; Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon, Israel.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karakis
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D018912:Arabs; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010126:Ozone
keywords: Air pollution; Birth weight; Household environment; Temperature