For pregnant women, exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) was associated with altered immune responses that can lead to adverse birth outcomes, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study is the first to examine the relationship between PM2.5 and maternal and fetal health on a single-cell level and highlights the health risk of PM2.5 exposure for pregnant women.

For pregnant women, exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) was associated with altered immune responses that can lead to adverse birth outcomes

This study represents a substantial step forward in understanding the biological pathways through which PM2.5 exposure affects pregnancy, maternal health, and fetal development. Its advanced methodology represents a significant innovation for how we study immune responses to environmental exposures.