Reasons Why Pregnant Women Should Avoid Exposure to Traffic Pollution

Pregnant women have so much to think about and consider and now add to the list that they should be very aware of their possible exposure to traffic pollution. This may not sound like a big problem unless you live in a big city, where it’s nearly impossible to avoid. Even on a smaller scale, having any sort of exposure to this over the course of your pregnancy can really be bad for you and your baby. So although pregnant women may be focused on many other things, this is certainly something of which to be quite aware. If you want to be certain that you help your unborn child and maintain a healthy pregnancy, then steering clear of this type of pollution—or any, for that matter—will be quite important.

So what is the big deal with a pregnant woman having exposure to traffic pollution, anyhow? For starters, this type of pollution means that you are breathing in exhaust along with many toxins and chemicals. What this can do to an unborn child is still being researched, but it may cause birth defects on many levels. Ingesting these fumes can also result in premature birth and may even be linked to a higher likelihood for autism and related health conditions and diseases. These are genuinely dangerous toxins that may create substantial problems for unborn children on a neurological level and therefore must be avoided.

Continued Exposure Can Equal Long-Term Problems

Continued exposure to traffic pollution throughout pregnancy may result in brain damage to the unborn child. What we consider to be isolated exposure as grown adults can be magnified in babies, particularly in the womb. They are developing and growing, and this may be interrupted if the pollutants come at them in a high concentration. Think of how these fumes make you feel sick as an adult—and then consider how that effect is amplified for an unborn child. It may interfere with their proper development and cause problems at birth and beyond. Thus, related research will continue.

So although the final consensus is still being sought, suffice it to say that there is a very real link to health problems surrounding continued exposure to traffic pollution during pregnancy. This can make the mom feel sick and magnify her own pregnancy symptoms. As it is making her feel sick, it can be doing even worse for her unborn child. Sure, the true extent of harmful effects is still being looked at, but whenever possible, do your best to avoid pollution and fumes. Taking care of your unborn child occurs in many different ways, and pollution exposure is something important to consider in protecting your baby and yourself throughout pregnancy.