In South Africa, pregnant women who live in areas with high levels of air pollution run the chance of giving birth to a child who has a congenital birth defect, especially orofacial cleft lip and palate (CLP).
According to study conducted by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) in collaboration with doctors, scientists, and Operation Smile, this is the case.
The US Child Health Task Force and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund presented the study this month at the Climate Child Health Series: The Effect of Climate Change on Newborn Health Outcomes hosted online (UNICEF).
The SAMRC states that the research includes all CLP patient cases from 2006 until 2020.
Using data from two databases, 2 515 instances with air pollution at the mother’s house were examined.
According to the organization, “The study reveals a relationship between the rising trend in CLP and a mother’s exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution, PM10 and PM2.5, during early pregnancy.”
Since the baby’s lip, mouth, and nose do not develop normally during pregnancy, the physicians characterized the CLP as birth abnormalities.
Between weeks four and seven of pregnancy, this is possible. The face forms when a baby’s body tissue and unique cells from each side of the skull link together.
The SAMRC states that there are a number of potential reasons for CLP.
They include a mother’s DNA, what she consumes, whether she smokes, if she takes certain medications while she is pregnant, and the environment in which she lives.
Research was done because, in the opinion of experts, the environment has not been as thoroughly investigated.
Dr. Caradee Wright, chief specialist scientist at SAMRC’s Environment and Health Research Unit, stated: “Air pollution levels are known to be high in South Africa, emanating from sources such as coal-fired power plants, transportation, residential fuel burning, mining, industry, and other sources.
“We intended to investigate if a mother’s exposure to air pollution in South Africa increased her baby’s likelihood of having cleft lip and palate.”
According to Wright, district municipalities in Gauteng, Limpopo, the North West, Mpumalanga, and the Free State included clusters of CLP birth hotspots.
To safeguard the health of unborn infants, the results highlight the need for more strict air quality regulation in South Africa.
Researchers have also urged tight management of the air quality by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Air Pollution Priority Areas.
“If a woman wishes to get pregnant, she should strive to restrict her exposure to air pollution,” says the author. “Mothers need to be informed about the hazards that air pollution presents to their unborn child, particularly in very early pregnancy.”
The SAMRC advises against lighting interior fires without sufficient ventilation and against jogging or walking on crowded roadways during rush hour.
The SAMRC states that CLP patients have a greater mortality risk and must contend with the negative impacts of physical difficulties such speech impairments, physical deformities, and psychological problems.
“Nutritional issues brought on by the inability to eat food are another challenge faced by children with CLP. While these fatalities are listed as being caused by hunger on the death certificates, the malnutrition caused by CLP is not accurately documented.
According to the study, CLP may be avoided whenever feasible by using a multidisciplinary strategy in which experts from many fields interact and exchange data on all maternal information and pollutant quantities in all of South Africa’s provinces.
Also, it may ease their agony and ease their financial load.
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