New Study links outdoor air pollution to over 855,200 pre-term births in Nigeria

The incident of outdoor air pollution has been linked to over 855,200 premature births in Nigeria, according to US based study published in the journal Environment International. The study which was the first of its kind quantifies the global impact by combining data about air pollution in different countries with knowledge about how exposure to different levels of air pollution is associated with preterm birth rates. The study published on Mamaye 2016 factsheet, says an estimated 855,200 babies were born before 37 weeks of pregnancy were completed and in the same year, an estimated 87,600 children under five years of age died due to preterm birth complications in Nigeria.

Johan Kuylenstierna, co-author of the study, SEI’s policy director, and a member of the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel said “Our colleagues from countries such as Ghana, Peru, Nigeria and Bangladesh have highlighted the importance of air pollution impacts on health as a motivation for reducing emissions, “Knowing that reducing outdoor air pollution could help reduce preterm births provides a compelling new reason to invest in mitigation measures.”

Kuylenstierna added Also a report by United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) says every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the under– five and maternal mortality rate in the world. Kuylenstierna stressed that “What could be done to reduce PM2.5 exposure
among pregnant women? Given that many mothers, particularly in the poorest and most vulnerable populations, cannot easily relocate, the key is to address the sources of pollution.”

The study shows that in 2010, about 2.7 million preterm births globally or 18% of all pre-term births were associated with outdoor exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 is especially harmful to human health, as it can penetrate deep inside the lungs).
Doyin Odubanjo, a public health expert based in Lagos said “When you get emission from car fumes, you most likely have incomplete combustion.

What you get is gastric like (CO) carbon monoxide which is toxics. According to Chris Malley, a researcher in SEI’s York Centre, at the University of York, and lead author of the study said “This study highlights that air pollution may not just harm people who are breathing the air directly but it may also seriously affect a baby in its mother’s womb,” He further explained “Preterm births associated with this exposure not only contribute to infant mortality, but can have life-long health effects in survivors.”

Odubanjo corroborates this view “carbon is a heavy stuff, ultimately on the long term bases we might be talking about lungs cancer” Malley noted that while many other health impacts of air pollution have been documented, most notably through the Global Burden of Disease studies, the focus has been mainly on premature deaths from heart disease, respiratory problems, etc.

“This study adds an important new consideration in measuring the health burden of air pollution and the benefits of mitigation measures,” he said.

Kuylenstierna advised “To reduce the PM2.5 problem, you need to control many different sources, but in many developing
countries, certain emission sources dominate,

“This includes emissions from cooking with biomass fuels (which is also associated with very harmful indoor pollution), diesel vehicles and other transport, and particles emitted when agricultural residues are burned in fields. Forest fires also contribute to ‘regional haze’.

“It is important to realize that action needs to be taken on all the major sources,” he noted Kuylenstierna further explained “In a city, maybe only half the pollution comes from sources within the city itself, the rest will be transported there by the wind from other regions or even other countries.

“That means that often regional cooperation is needed to solve the problem, ” he added.