According to a study conducted by researchers, fine particles have been identified in China’s dirty air, which is killing 64,000 unborn babies every year while they are still inside their mothers’ wombs. Despite Beijing’s efforts over the past ten years and longer to manage pollution, the statistics show such appalling numbers.
According to a study that examined 137 nations, 40% of stillbirths occurred in Latin America, Asia, and Africa in 2015 as a result of exposure to PM2.5, which are particles smaller than 2.5 microns that are often formed when fossil fuels are burned.
According to a study that examined all the nations where 98% of stillbirths worldwide occur, China came in the fourth position for foetal fatalities associated with PM2.5, according to the research that was published in the academic journal Nature Communications.
Peking University noted fewer fatalities due to government efforts in China
Researchers at Peking University, China, led by Xue Tao, noted that fewer of these fatalities had occurred as a result of the Chinese government’s recent efforts to reduce air pollution.
“Improved air quality in some of the 137 countries (e.g. China) might underlie the reduction in the global burden of stillbirths. Therefore, meeting the World Health Organisation air quality targets could prevent stillbirths,” the researchers wrote.
Although the link between air pollution and stillbirth is well established, this is the first study to determine the precise number of reported foetal deaths. UNICEF called the phenomenon a “neglected tragedy” in a study from 2020.
The study discovered that a 10 g/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure was linked to an 11% increase in stillbirths
Overall, the study discovered that a 10 g/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure was linked to an 11% increase in stillbirths. According to the researchers, when pollution particles cross the placenta, they may result in “irreparable foetal harm.” It may also impair the fetus’s ability to receive oxygen.
“In recent years, China has been working hard on treating air pollution and seen rapid improvement in air quality as a result, which is of great importance to the protection of the health of pregnant women and children,” Zhu Tong, the study’s leading author said.
“However, a great population and uneven social development mean there are still a big number of pregnant women exposed to air pollution,” he added.