The Associations among Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollutants Exposure, Maternal Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Reaction, and Fetal Growth

Background: Air pollutants exposure results in elevated concentrations of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in general populations. Increased concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women would be associated with preterm labor and low birth weight. To date, the associations between air pollutants exposure and oxidative stress/inflammation in pregnant women and fetuses are unknown, as well as their effects on fetal growth. Purpose: The first two years of this project will evaluate the influences of indoor and outdoor air pollutants in northern and southern Taiwan areas on concentrations of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in the blood of healthy pregnant women, in fetal cord blood, and how these biomarkers impact fetal growth. Above mentioned associations will be evaluated in women with pregnancy induced hypertension in the third-year project. Methods: The first two years of the project will recruit healthy pregnant women aged 20 or above who are in their first trimester and live in northern and southern Taiwan areas, respectively. Personal characteristics, prenatal examination data (e.g., blood pressure), labor data (e.g., delivery, birth weight), indoor and outdoor air pollutants data will be obtained from recruited subjects. The oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in the blood of healthy pregnant women and fetal cord blood will be analyzed. In the third-year study, the women with pregnancy induced hypertension who are diagnosed in their second and third trimesters and live in northern and southern Taiwan areas will be recruited. The data including personal characteristics, prenatal examination, labor, and indoor/outdoor air pollutants levels will be also obtained from recruited subjects. The levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in the women with pregnancy induced hypertension will be analyzed. Expected results: This study will establish datasets of indoor/outdoor air pollutants exposure of healthy pregnant women and women with pregnancy induced hypertension in northern and southern Taiwan areas, and concentrations of oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in the blood of pregnant women and fetal cord blood. Further study will assess whether air pollutants exposure is related to concentrations of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in the blood of pregnant women and in fetal cord blood, and even to fetal growth.

Project ID:PC10507-1270
External Project ID:MOST105-2314-B182-027