Relationship between Exposure to Air Pollution and Occurrence of Anemia in Pregnancy

Exposure to air pollution can lead to pathological conditions such as anemia. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of anemia in pregnant women exposed to different and substantial quantities of air pollutants. The subjects were pregnant women (n = 327), aged 20-30, non-smokers, in good physical condition, living for more then five years in Niš and Niška Banja and not exposed to harmful agents at working place. Blood specimens were gathered from the subjects in each trimester of pregnancy in the laboratory of Niš Health Center. Anemia was diagnosed for the values of hemoglobin < 105 g/l and hematocrit < 34%. The measurement of air pollutants, sulphur dioxide (SO2), soot and lead (Pb) in sediment matters in the air was carried out daily at two locations in Niš (Trg Knjeginje Ljubice) and Niška Banja during the period 1998-2002, as well as in each trimester of pregnancy during 2003. We calculated the Air Quality Index (AQI) for both areas. Our results show that the occurrence of anemia in pregnancy is significantly higher in pregnant women exposed to higher concentration of air pollutants.