January 31, 2022
Low-income Hispanic women who are exposed to high levels of air pollution during mid-pregnancy may be at greater risk of depression one year postpartum, according to researchers from the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) Center for Environmental Health Disparities.
The researchers followed 180 women from early pregnancy to one year after giving birth, tracking their exposure to air pollutants, such as particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ground-level ozone. They found that air pollution exposure, especially mid-pregnancy, increased the risk of depression 12 months after childbirth.