Commentary: Pregnant women at risk in Australian bushfires

Although there’s no safe level of air pollution, the health hazards tend to be greatest for vulnerable groups. Alongside people with pre-existing conditions, smoke exposure presents unique risks for pregnant women.Research shows prolonged exposure to bushfire smoke increases the risk of pregnancy complications including high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, low birth weight and premature birth .

We often measure poor air quality by the presence of ultra-fine particles called PM2.5 . These particles are concerning because they can penetrate into our lungs, and into blood and tissue to cause inflammation throughout the body. A 2019 study of more than 500,000 pregnant women from Colorado looked at the effect of bushfire smoke on pregnancy outcomes.

To put this into context, in Canberra in the first week of January, PM2.5 levels averaged more than 200 micrograms per cubic metre, compared with the typical background concentration of 5 micrograms per cubic metres. As well as PM2.5, bushfire smoke contains larger PM10 particles, nitric oxides, carbon monoxide and other gases and toxic chemicals.

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