Air pollution may up risk of miscarriage

Air pollution in Delhi has been posing serious health concern among the people in the city. The dark smog that hovers over the national capital every winter has often been described as causing a gas chamber-like situation. Owing to the heart-related problems caused by the severe air pollution, residents have been struggling to breath. Apart from the heart-related health risks, a study has found that exposure to air pollution, even for a short term, may push the risk of miscarriages. In fact, air pollution has been linked with numerous health issues such as asthma and pre-matured birth.

Read | Priyanka's response to The Cut article is fittingly apt, find out here

Air pollution may up miscarriage risk

Now, a study carried out by scientists in the US shows that women living along the highly populated region in Utah had a higher risk (16 per cent) of miscarriage. The increase in risk of miscarriage is observed even in short-term exposure to increased air pollution.

The study conducted at the University of Utah during 2007-2015 was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. The team examined the risk of miscarriage during a three or seven-day window following a spike in the concentration of three common air pollutants: small particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide and ozone. The study excluded women who lived outside Utah. Following it, the team found a 16 per cent increased risk of miscarriage in women exposed to elevated nitrogen dioxide levels.

Air Pollution in Delhi

According to the Central Pollution Control Board, air quality in Delhi slipped to very poor category on Sunday and has worsened since in six areas. Authorities warned of further rise in pollution in the city - Ashok Vihar, Anand Vihar, Burari, Mundaka, Nehru Nagar and Wazirpur recorded severe air quality. And 25 areas of the national capital recorded "very poor" air quality, while four areas recorded pollution in the "poor" category.

The CPCB has recorded an overall air quality index (AQI) of 352, which falls in the "very poor" category. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor" and 401 and 500 is considered to be "severe". The PM2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) level was recorded at 208 and the PM10 level at 397, it added.

Air Pollution in NCR

In NCR, the CPCB data showed severe pollution level at 404 in Ghaziabad, while Faridabad and Noida recorded "very poor" air quality, according to the CPCB data. In Gurugram, the air quality was "poor", it said.  "Although increasing-AQI trend is predicted from tonight (Tuesday night) for the next two days, it will remain in 'very poor' range only. This is mainly due to decline in wind speed along with adverse meteorological conditions. The contribution from long-range dust or stubble biomass is negligible," the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said in a PTI report.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the maximum ventilation index is likely to be 3,500 sqm/second on Tuesday. A ventilation index lower than 6,000 sqm/second with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants, the IITM said.

(With PTI inputs)