Every year in China, air pollution causes 64,000 foetal deaths

 

According to a recent study, air pollution in China kills up to 64,000 unborn newborns annually. This is despite Beijing, the nation's capital, trying to reduce pollution over the past ten years and longer, according to a South China Morning Post story (SCMP).

According to a study of 137 countries, exposure to PM 2.5, which is primarily produced by the burning of fossil fuels, was responsible for 40% of stillbirths in Asia, Africa, and Latin America in 2015.

China ranks fourth among the studied countries in terms of the number of foetal deaths brought on by PM 2.5, which is responsible for 98% of stillbirths worldwide, according to a study published in Nature Communications.

"The decrease in the global burden of stillbirths may be attributed to improved air quality in some of the 137 nations (such as China). So, achieving the World Health Organization's air quality goals could reduce the number of stillbirths "researchers from Peking University stated. They were quick to point out that recent efforts by the Chinese government to combat air pollution have stopped more deaths of this nature.

This study is the first to estimate the precise number of foetal deaths, even though the link between poor air quality and stillbirth is widely acknowledged. UNICEF referred to the phenomenon as a "neglected tragedy" in a report from 2020.

The researchers hypothesised that pollution particles that cross the placenta may cause "irreversible embryonic damage," even though the exact mechanism by which PM 2.5 causes foetal mortality is still unknown. Additionally, the foetus may not receive enough oxygen as a result.

PM 2.5 pollution became a significant public concern in China about ten years ago, when major cities like Beijing were frequently shrouded in heavy smog, SCMP continues, spurring a number of government initiatives.

In an article about the connection between poor air quality and stillbirths that was published on the website of Peking University last year, Zhu Tong, another major author of the study, is quoted as saying, “In recent years, China has been working hard on treating air pollution and seen rapid improvement in air quality as a result, which is of great importance to the protection of the health of pregnant women and children.”