It is the first time that a team of scientists can detect soot particles in the organs of fetuses. “Since our previous discovery that exposure to air pollution in pregnant women can cause tiny sooty particles to pass into the placenta, we wanted to explore the exact impact that soot pollution can have on fetal development in the womb,” says Prof. Tim Nawrot. “We now see for the first time that soot particles find their way into the organs of the fetus, including the liver, the lungs and even the brain. And that while these organs are still in full development in the unborn baby.”
Full development
The fact that the soot particles end up in the still developing brain is particularly alarming, says Prof. Paul Fowler of the University of Aberdeen, who participated in the study. “That means that the nanoparticles come into contact with the entire network of cells and organs in the fetus’s body via the brain and can act on it.”
Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and childhood has previously been linked to an increased risk of stillbirth, premature birth, lower birth weight or impaired brain development, with possible consequences later in life.
The research is published in The Lancet Planetary Health. It was realized with financial support from Kom op tegen Kanker (KoTK) and the Fund for Scientific Research (FWO).