Study finds air pollution may raise risk of stillbirth

Pregnant ladies take note! Those among you who are exposed to air pollution may be at a greater risk of stillbirth, a new study suggests. An estimated 2.6 million children worldwide were stillborn at 28 weeks or more in 2015, with the wide geographical variation in prevalence suggesting that most of these deaths were preventable, researchers from University of Oulu in Finland said.

In the study conducted, scientists found an association between exposure to air pollution - particularly during the third term of pregnancy - and a heightened risk of stillbirth.

Exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter 10 and ozone were also linked to a heightened risk, researchers said. The findings were published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.