A recent study conducted by Stanford University shows that there is definitely a connection between expectant mothers and their exposure to wildfire smoke and premature births.
This follows the recent trend of wildfires burning all across California in the past several months–a year shy of a historic wildfire season that left more than 4 million acres of the state in scorching devastation. In 2020, wildfire smoke was more than inconveniencing for more than 50% of the population– with the smoke containing harmful and even deadly elements of particle pollution.
After as many as 7,000 preterm births in California during the wildfire season, data has proven the incomplete development of the infant in the womb at 37 weeks of pregnancy are caused by different internal factors such as gastrointestinal and respiratory complications, most of which are attributed to the exposure of the mothers to wildfire smoke.
Although, admittedly, a lot of research on why women give birth prematurely is lacking. But co-author Gary Shaw says: “Against a backdrop where we know so little about why some women deliver too soon, prematurely, and why others do not, finding clues like the one here helps us start piecing the bigger puzzle together.”
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Perhaps, one could look to the obvious reasons why wildfire smoke is harmful not only to pregnant women but to everyone else: wildfire smoke has been noted to contain the deadliest type of particle pollution– the PM 2.5. Also known as toxic soot, these particles are known to be dangerous and life-threatening when inhaled and passed through the bloodstream. Apart from this, the particles may trigger an inflammatory response that aggravates birth.
On the health risks due to the wildfires, lead author of the research Sam Heft-Neal states: βIn the future, we expect to see more frequent and intense exposure to wildfire smoke throughout the West due to a confluence of factors, including climate change, a century of fire suppression and construction of more homes along the fire-prone fringes of forests, scrublands and grasslands. As a result, the health burden from smoke exposure β including preterm births β is likely to increase.β
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In the study conducted they found out that a full week of exposure translated to a 3.4 percent greater risk relative to a mother exposed to no wildfire smoke. Intense smoke exposure in the third trimester of pregnancy had the largest implications on premature birth. Shaw suggests: “If one can avoid smoke exposure by staying indoors or wearing an appropriate mask while outdoors, that would be good health practice for all.”
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