Pollution in India Shrink Newborns


Bangalore: There are many reasons why people chose a city life to start a family, because of the easy access to amenities, better quality of living and more prospects for growth and well being. A recent study gives reasons to reconsider living in the smoke flitted urban decadence. As per the study conducted by the UK scientists, they may have found the main reason behind the low weight of one in every four babies born in India, as estimated by the 2.6 crore annual births in the country. 

A worldwide study showed that the air pollution emitted by vehicles when exposed to pregnant mothers most likely result in delivering smaller babies, that weigh below 2.5 Kg. The study considered as the largest of its kind, analyzed more than three million births in nine nations at 14 sites which included Europe, UK, Asia, North America, South America and Australia to prepare the data, as reported by Kounteya Sinha for TNN.

The researchers found at the worldwide sites where the survey was conducted that the higher the rate of pollution, the greater was the rate of the low birth weight. The high pollution rate recorded in India reasoned the low weight of newborns. The low birth weight is connected with serious health consequences which include high risk of postnatal morbidity and mortality and chronic health problems later in life.

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